7 Koreans on Top 100 Executives List

Seven Koreans including Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee and BOK Governor Lee Sung-tae were selected as part of Asia’s top 100 businessmen.

Asiamoney, Hong Kong’s monthly capital markets magazine, announced its 100 most influential people in business and finance throughout Asia on Tuesday.

Chairman Lee Kun-hee and Governor Lee Sung-tae came in fourth and 25th place respectively. Yun Jong-yong, vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, ranked 33rd, Kookmin Bank president Kang Chung-won in 68th, Financial Supervisory Service chief Yun Jeong-hyun in 73rd, LG Group chairman Koo Bon-moo in 77th, and SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won in 99th place.

Li Ka-shing, chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited and the richest man in Asia, was the top ranked.

His motto is “know the right moment to stop.” His charitable behaviors of deciding to donate one-third of his assets worth 17 trillion won was the main reason for his selection as the most influential man in Asia.

China had the most people on the list, 16, and three of them were among the top 10. The second to fifth ranked countries are Japan with 13, India with 11, Hong Kong with 10, and Australia with nine. Korea and Malaysia both came in sixth place with seven people each.

Asiamoney explained that the top 100 most influential businessmen were selected by economists, investors, and analysts based on their influence on the Asian economy, and their major strategic and investment decisions.

jaykim@donga.com