Kim Jun-seok, vice president of Hoban Construction, has been named chief executive of Taihan Cable & Solution (001440.KS). Kim took the top job after successfully leading Hoban Group's acquisition of the cable maker five years ago and later overseeing its management. He plans to capitalize on expanding power grid investment in the United States and Europe to grow the company's high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and submarine cable businesses and turn years of investment into earnings.
Taihan Cable said its board appointed Kim as the new chief executive on the 21st. Kim has led key stages of the company's turnaround and expansion since Hoban Group acquired Taihan Cable in 2021. He became head of Taihan Cable's management division in 2023, was promoted to vice president for overall management at Taihan Cable last year, and took the chief executive post this year, while concurrently serving as president of Hoban Group's strategy division.
Kim plans to accelerate the company's push into the global power grid market. He will expand its business base in the U.S. and Europe, where demand for grid investment is rising, and strengthen competitiveness in high-value segments such as HVDC and submarine cables. The aim is to raise technological and production capabilities while securing cost competitiveness so that past investments translate into tangible business results.
Kim held no inauguration ceremony, posting his inaugural message on the company's internal groupware instead. "Small differences add up to become the company's competitiveness," he said in the message, emphasizing improvements in technology and quality along with stronger cost competitiveness. "The lives of about 10,000 people — employees at our affiliates at home and abroad, and their families — are tied to Taihan Cable," he added, saying the company's growth should lead to better lives for employees and their families.
Kim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in nuclear engineering and joined Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power in 2007. He moved to Hoban Group in 2010 and has since held a series of key posts.