This year marks a significant leadership transition for South Korea’s key venture startup support associations. The Korea Venture Business Association, the Korea Venture Capital Association, and the Korea Venture Business Women’s Association have all appointed new presidents, ushering in a new era of leadership. These changes come at a critical time, as the country’s startups grapple with the challenges of a “triple high” economic environment—characterized by high interest rates, inflation, and exchange rates.
In addition to these three major associations, the Korea Angel Investment Association has also undergone its first leadership change since its founding. Cho Min-sik, Vice President of Bespin Global, has been appointed as the association’s second president, setting an ambitious goal of fostering 1,000 unicorn startups by 2035.
The newly appointed leaders face the challenge of revitalizing the entrepreneurial ecosystem and steering their organizations through an increasingly complex economic landscape.
Korea Venture Business Association
Song Byung-joon, Chairman of Com2uS, has been inaugurated as the 12th president of the Korea Venture Business Association, the largest organization of its kind in the country. He has emphasized the urgent need for innovation and policy reform to accelerate the growth of ventures and startups, calling for these efforts to be prioritized in the national economic agenda. His key initiatives include fostering AI-driven industry growth, driving AI transformation across all sectors, and expanding global market opportunities for Korean startups.
Korea Venture Capital Association
Kim Hak-kyun, CEO of Quantum Ventures Korea, has taken office as the 16th president of the Korea Venture Capital Association. His leadership agenda centers on revitalizing the KOSDAQ market, with seven key strategic goals. These include expanding the domestic venture capital ecosystem, attracting more private capital, establishing pension and policy-backed KOSDAQ funds, and streamlining exit strategies for underperforming companies.
Korea Venture Business Women’s Association
Sung Mi-sook, CEO of Ecotronix, has been appointed as the 14th president of the Korea Venture Business Women’s Association. She envisions an expanded role for women-led ventures in driving economic growth and innovation. Her strategy focuses on advancing technology development and investment for women entrepreneurs, offering tailored consulting and networking support for global market entry, broadening communication channels, and establishing new regional branches in Gangwon and Jeju.
In addition to these three major associations, the Korea Angel Investment Association has also seen its first change in leadership since its establishment. Cho Min-sik, vice president of Bespin Global, has been appointed as the second president, with a bold goal of producing 1,000 unicorns by 2035.
With these leadership changes, the future of South Korea’s startup ecosystem hinges on strategic policy shifts, innovation, and global expansion efforts led by the country’s new entrepreneurial leaders.