Kwon Bong-seok
I need to carefully analyze the research provided. There is a significant discrepancy: the Wikipedia summary and structured facts describe **Kang Yi-seok**, a South Korean child actor born in 1998, while the article request is for **Kwon Bong-seok**, who based on the news coverage is a South Korean business executive serving as COO of LG Corp. These are clearly two different people. The Wikipedia data appears to have been incorrectly matched. I will write the article about **Kwon Bong-seok** using only the news coverage sources, which contain verifiable information about him.
| Kwon Bong-seok | |
| Birthplace | South Korea |
|---|---|
| Nationality | South Korean |
| Occupation | Business executive |
| Title | Chief Operating Officer, Representative Director |
| Employer | LG Corporation |
| Known for | Chief Operating Officer of LG Corporation |
Kwon Bong-seok (Template:Lang) is a South Korean business executive who serves as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) and representative director of LG Corporation, the holding company of LG Group. Before assuming his role at LG Corp., Kwon served as the Chief Executive Officer of LG Electronics, one of South Korea's largest consumer electronics and home appliance manufacturers. His career at LG has spanned leadership roles across various business divisions, and he has been recognized as a central figure in driving the conglomerate's strategic direction under chairman Koo Kwang-mo. In his capacity as group COO, Kwon has been instrumental in directing LG Group's focus toward artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies, overseeing a period of significant strategic realignment across the conglomerate's portfolio of affiliates.[1]
Career
CEO of LG Electronics
Kwon Bong-seok served as the Chief Executive Officer of LG Electronics, one of South Korea's most prominent multinational corporations with operations spanning consumer electronics, home appliances, and mobile communications. During his tenure as CEO, Kwon oversaw a period that included significant strategic decisions regarding the company's product portfolio and business divisions.
One of the notable developments during Kwon's time leading LG Electronics was the review of the company's Mobile Communications (MC) business. In January 2021, LG Electronics issued a public statement acknowledging that it was reviewing the future of its mobile phone division, which had recorded consecutive quarterly losses over an extended period. The company stated it was "open to all possibilities" regarding the unit's future direction.[2] This statement came amid mounting losses in the mobile division, which had been posting consecutive quarterly deficits. The review ultimately led to LG Electronics' decision to exit the smartphone market, a significant turning point for the company.
Promotion to Vice Chairman and COO of LG Corp.
In November 2021, LG Group announced a major reshuffle of its top leadership. As part of this reorganization, Kwon Bong-seok was promoted from his position as CEO of LG Electronics to the role of Chief Operating Officer and representative director of LG Corp., the group's holding company. The appointment effectively made Kwon the number two executive in the entire LG Group hierarchy, positioned directly below chairman Koo Kwang-mo.[3]
The appointment was widely reported in South Korean business media. The Korea Herald described how Kwon was "named the chief operating officer of LG Corp., LG Group's holding company, becoming the No." two figure in the conglomerate's management structure.[3] Maeil Business Newspaper reported that "Kwon Bong-seok, CEO of LG Electronics Co., will be named as the new chief operating officer and representative director at LG Group's holding company LG Corp."[4] Business Korea also confirmed the appointment, noting that "LG Group chairman Koo Kwang-mo has appointed vice chairman Kwon Bong-seok as the chief operating officer (COO) of LG Corp., the group's holding company."[5]
Prior to the formal announcement, The Investor reported that Kwon was "likely to be promoted to vice chairman of LG Corp., the holdings firm of South Korean conglomerate LG Group," indicating that his elevation had been anticipated within industry circles.[6]
The move reflected LG Group's broader strategy of consolidating group-level leadership to better coordinate activities across its various affiliates and subsidiaries, including LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Energy Solution, and LG Display, among others.
Strategic Leadership at LG Group
In his role as COO of LG Corp., Kwon Bong-seok has been a key figure in shaping the strategic direction of the entire LG Group conglomerate. Under chairman Koo Kwang-mo's leadership vision, Kwon has been tasked with streamlining the group's investment priorities and accelerating its transformation toward new growth areas.
A central element of Kwon's strategic agenda at LG Corp. has been the conglomerate's push into artificial intelligence. According to reporting by Chosunbiz in January 2026, Kwon has been driving LG's focused AI strategy, streamlining bets and accelerating AI-led shifts across the group's portfolio of businesses. The report characterized Kwon as the operational leader driving the implementation of Koo Kwang-mo's vision for the conglomerate's future direction.[1]
This focus on AI and technology-driven transformation has been a consistent theme in LG Group's strategic planning under Kwon's operational leadership. The group has sought to position its various affiliates — spanning electronics, chemicals, energy, and telecommunications — to leverage artificial intelligence capabilities across their respective business operations.
Oversight of Management Reshuffles
As COO of LG Corp., Kwon Bong-seok has also played a role in the group's periodic management reshuffles, through which LG Group appoints and rotates leadership across its affiliate companies. In November 2024, LG Group carried out what was described as a "modest management reshuffle," during which Cho Joo-wan was confirmed to continue leading LG Electronics as chief executive.[7]
In November 2025, LG Group undertook a more significant reshuffle, replacing the CEOs of key affiliates including LG Electronics and LG Chem. The changes also included promoting talent in the areas of AI and biotechnology research and development, reflecting the group's strategic emphasis on these sectors. The reshuffle maintained LG Group's policy regarding the management of vice chairman-level positions.[8]
These management decisions reflect the ongoing role that Kwon, as group COO, plays in coordinating leadership across LG's diverse portfolio of companies and ensuring that management appointments align with the conglomerate's strategic priorities, particularly its focus on AI and emerging technologies.
Role within LG Group Structure
LG Corp. (formerly LG Corporation) serves as the holding company of LG Group, one of South Korea's largest chaebol conglomerates. The holding company structure allows LG Corp. to coordinate strategy, governance, and investment across the group's numerous affiliates and subsidiaries. As COO and representative director of LG Corp., Kwon Bong-seok occupies a position that gives him operational oversight across this entire network of companies.
The COO role at LG Corp. is considered among the most senior executive positions within the South Korean corporate landscape. Kwon's appointment to this position in 2021 placed him directly beneath chairman Koo Kwang-mo in the group's management hierarchy.[3] His responsibilities encompass coordinating the strategic activities of major affiliates including LG Electronics, LG Chem, LG Energy Solution, and LG Display, as well as overseeing the group's investments in new business areas such as artificial intelligence.[1]
Under the holding company framework, Kwon's leadership role involves both direct management of LG Corp.'s own operations and broader coordination of group-wide initiatives. This has included overseeing periodic management reshuffles at affiliate companies[8] and directing the allocation of resources toward strategic priority areas identified by the group's leadership.
Recognition
Kwon Bong-seok's role as a senior executive within one of South Korea's largest conglomerates has resulted in significant coverage in South Korean and international business media. His appointment as COO of LG Corp. in November 2021 was reported by multiple major publications, including The Korea Herald,[3] Maeil Business Newspaper,[4] Business Korea,[5] and The Investor,[6] reflecting the significance of the appointment within South Korea's business community.
His ongoing role in shaping LG Group's AI strategy has continued to draw media attention, with Chosunbiz highlighting his leadership in driving the conglomerate's technology-focused transformation in 2026.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Kwon Bong-seok drives LG's focused AI push under Koo Kwang-mo - CHOSUNBIZ".Chosunbiz.2026-01-26.https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2026/01/26/24DDUUMWINCIDLX5BXCUS6HN3E/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ "LG reviewing future of mobile business, "open to all possibilities"".The Elec.2021-01-20.http://www.thelec.net/news/articleView.html?idxno=2214.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "LG Group reshuffles top brass, promotes LG Electronics CEO".The Korea Herald.2021-11-25.https://www.koreaherald.com/article/2729764.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "LG Elec CEO Kwon Bong-seok to spearhead LG Group's holding firm LG Corp.".Maeil Business Newspaper.2021-11-23.https://pulse.mk.co.kr/news/english/10110715.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "LG Group Appoints Kwon Bong-seok as COO of LG Corp.".Business Korea.2021-11-26.https://www.businesskorea.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=82302.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "LG Electronics chief expected to be promoted to vice chairman".The Investor.2021-11-24.https://www.theinvestor.co.kr/article/2730994.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ "LG Group carries out modest management reshuffle".KED Global.2024-11-21.https://www.kedglobal.com/leadership-management/newsView/ked202411210014.Retrieved 2026-02-24.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "LG replaces two CEOs, promotes AI and bio R&D talent - CHOSUNBIZ".Chosunbiz.2025-11-27.https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2025/11/27/NZBJNC767BFBBCLHIYXOQ2IAJE/.Retrieved 2026-02-24.