Kim Jung-soo named chair of Samyang Foods

Samyang Foods Vice Chair Kim Jung-soo, who helped turn the company’s “Buldak” noodles into a global sensation, will be promoted to chairwoman.

Samyang Foods said Thursday that its board approved Kim’s promotion at a meeting on May 12. Her appointment will take effect June 1.

The promotion comes nearly five years after Kim was named vice chair in December 2021 after serving as president. The company said the decision was intended to strengthen leadership and reinforce management accountability as its overseas business continues to expand.

Kim is the daughter-in-law of the late Jeon Joong-yoon, founder and honorary chairman of Samyang Foods. After spending years as a homemaker following her marriage, she joined the company in 1998, when Samyang Foods was struggling in the wake of the beef tallow scandal.

Kim is regarded as a leading force behind the success of “Buldak Bokkeummyeon,” the company’s signature spicy noodle brand launched in 2012. Samyang Foods’ sales rose from 642 billion won in 2021, when Kim became vice chair, to 2.35 trillion won in 2025. Its operating margin also increased from 10 percent to 22 percent over the same period.

Kim’s promotion is expected to further speed up Samyang Foods’ transition toward a more global management structure.


남혜정 namduck2@donga.com