Lee Joon-ho (businessman)
Lee Joon-ho | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1964 South Korea |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, investor |
| Known for | Pioneer behind the web portal Naver; Chairman of NHN Corporation |
Lee Joon-ho (; born 1964) is a prominent South Korean entrepreneur and investor. Recognized as one of the pioneers behind the web portal Naver, Lee currently holds the positions of Chairman and Chairman of the Board at NHN Corporation. Additionally, he manages investments in South Korean real estate via his company, JLC.
As of April 2024, Forbes valued his fortune at approximately US$835 million, placing him as the 46th wealthiest individual in South Korea.
Education
Lee obtained a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in computer science and engineering from Seoul National University. He further pursued advanced studies, earning both a Master of Science and a PhD from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Career
During his tenure as an associate professor at Soongsil University, Lee developed search engine technology for the web portal Empas.
He established Search Solution with capital support from Naver, which subsequently merged back into Naver in 2000. Throughout this period, he occupied multiple c-suite positions responsible for managing NHN, then the parent company of Naver.
In 2013, Lee departed from Naver following NHN’s division into NHN Entertainment Corporation and Naver Corporation. The following year, he secured a 9.53% ownership stake in NHN Entertainment, which later rebranded as NHN in 2019.