Then-Samyang Roundsquare Vice Chairperson Kim Jung-soo speaks at a ceremony marking the company's 60th anniversary at a venue in central Seoul, Sept. 14, 2023. Courtesy of Samsung Roundsquare
Samyang Foods said Friday it has promoted Vice Chairman Kim Jung-soo, known as the creator of the recipe behind the Buldak ramyeon series, to chairman as part of efforts to strengthen leadership amid its growing overseas business.
Kim was promoted to the chairmanship five years after becoming vice chairman in 2021. Her term will take effect June 1, according to the company.
Samyang Foods said the promotion comes as the company seeks to strengthen corporate social responsibility and leadership in response to its expanding global business.
Kim, the daughter-in-law of the late Honorary Chairman Chun Joong-yoon, the founder of the company, joined the company in 1998.
She has played a pivotal role in growing the Buldak ramyeon series into a global brand since its launch in 2012.
Samyang Foods' overseas sales grew by almost twentyfold to 1.9 trillion won ($1.27 billion) in 2025 from 93 billion won in 2016. About 80 percent of the sales were generated outside Korea.
For the first quarter of this year, the company reported sales of 714.4 billion won and an operating profit of 177.1 billion won, up 35 percent and 32 percent, respectively, from a year earlier.
The strong performance was driven by overseas sales, which rose 38 percent from a year earlier to 585 billion won.
Shares of Samyang Foods jumped more than 60 percent to 1.23 million won as of the end of last year from a year earlier.
Source: Korea Times News
