💵 Top 10 Richest People in South Korea in 2025

 

💵 Top 10 Richest People in South Korea in 2025

Updated ranking based on total assets including non-listed stocks and private equity

🧐 Why does the Korean rich list matter?

The South Korean billionaire list for 2025 isn’t just about who has the most money — it offers insights into the industries driving the economy, emerging investment sectors, and how Korea’s wealth is evolving.

Unlike rankings based solely on stock holdings, this list includes private equity, real estate, and inherited wealth, making it a more comprehensive representation of actual net worth.

Let’s dive into the most recent ranking based on verified data from Forbes, Bloomberg, and CXO Institute.












🥇 1st – Michael Kim (Kim Byung-joo)

  • Net Worth: ~$9.8 billion

  • Key Industry: Private Equity

  • Position: Founder & Chairman, MBK Partners

  • Highlight: Founder of Korea’s largest private equity firm; dominates the Asian M&A market. Forbes ranked him as Korea's richest person in 2025.

🥈 2nd – Cho Jung-ho

  • Net Worth: ~$8.4 billion

  • Key Industry: Financial Services

  • Position: Chairman, Meritz Financial Group

  • Highlight: Revolutionized Meritz with a unified corporate structure, pushing up stock prices and personal net worth rapidly.

🥉 3rd – Jay Y. Lee (Lee Jae-yong)

  • Net Worth: ~$8.2 billion

  • Key Industry: Semiconductors, Mobile, Bio

  • Position: Chairman, Samsung Electronics

  • Highlight: Leading Samsung into next-gen industries like AI chips and biotech. Despite inheritance tax payments, he remains among Korea's richest.

💊 4th – Seo Jung-jin

  • Net Worth: ~$7.1 billion

  • Key Industry: Biotechnology

  • Position: Founder & Honorary Chairman, Celltrion

  • Highlight: Built Korea’s biotech empire with world’s first commercialized antibody biosimilars.

🚗 5th – Chung Mong-koo

  • Net Worth: ~$4.2 billion

  • Key Industry: Automotive

  • Position: Honorary Chairman, Hyundai Motor Group

  • Highlight: A key figure in transforming Hyundai into a global automotive giant.

📱 6th – Brian Kim (Kim Beom-su)

  • Net Worth: ~$3.6 billion

  • Key Industry: IT, Platform

  • Position: Founder, Kakao

  • Highlight: Created KakaoTalk and expanded into fintech, entertainment, and mobility.

🔋 7th – Chung Eui-sun

  • Net Worth: ~$3.5 billion

  • Key Industry: EV, Hydrogen Mobility

  • Position: Chairman, Hyundai Motor Group

  • Highlight: Spearheading future car technologies, including robotics and air mobility.

🎨 8th – Hong Ra-hee

  • Net Worth: ~$3.3 billion

  • Key Assets: Samsung stock holdings

  • Role: Samsung matriarch, former director of Leeum Museum of Art

  • Highlight: Korea’s wealthiest woman and influential figure in Samsung Group.

🏨 9th – Lee Boo-jin

  • Net Worth: ~$3.3 billion

  • Key Industry: Hospitality, Duty-Free

  • Position: CEO, Hotel Shilla

  • Highlight: Turned Shilla Hotels into a luxury leader and expanded duty-free business globally.

🫱 10th – Lee Seo-hyun

  • Net Worth: ~$3.0 billion

  • Key Role: Chair, Samsung Welfare Foundation

  • Industry: Philanthropy, Art & Culture

  • Highlight: Focuses on social impact and cultural contributions through Samsung foundations.

✅ What do they all have in common?

  • Heavy reliance on equity ownership

  • Active in Korea’s most influential industries: finance, IT, biotech, automotive

  • Strong legacy or startup DNA

  • Global business strategies and innovation

These ten individuals shape South Korea’s economy today and signal where opportunities lie tomorrow.

🧠 Final Thoughts

The 2025 rich list of Korea shows a shift toward diversified wealth — from traditional chaebols to tech entrepreneurs and financial strategists.

For investors, entrepreneurs, and analysts, following these figures can offer critical insight into where capital is flowing in Korea and what industries are set to grow.


위치: 대한민국

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