According to Forbes' list of world billionaires (June 13, 2026), Korea has many representatives present. Among them, the richest person is Mr. Jay Y. Lee with assets worth 36.2 billion USD. He is currently ranked 58th in the list of the richest people in the world.
Mr. Jay Y. Lee is the Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics, and also the head of the largest corporation in South Korea. He was officially appointed to this position in 2022, succeeding his late father after two years of vacancy.
Next is female billionaire Lee Boo-jin - Chairwoman and CEO of Shilla Hotel. She owns assets worth 13.5 billion USD and is currently ranked 229th in Forbes' global super-rich ranking.
Ms. Lee also held a consulting position at the trading department of Samsung C&T - a group that actually plays the role of the family's parent company.
Another female billionaire face is Ms. Lee Seo-hyun, who is currently also in the top of the richest people in the land of kimchi with assets worth 12.6 billion USD, ranking 250th in the world.
In addition to the role of managing the Samsung Welfare Fund - a charity founded by her late father, former Chairman of Samsung Electronics Lee Kun-hee, she also holds the position of head of the advisory council at the Leeum Samsung Art Museum in Seoul.
Next is Ms. Hong Ra-hee with a high ranking in the list of super-rich Koreans. She owns assets of 12.5 billion USD, ranking 252nd in the world.
Ms. Hong Ra-hee is the wife of the late Chairman of Samsung Group Lee Kun-hee - who once held the position of the richest person in South Korea before his death in 2020. Before officially resigning in 2017, she had a long time leading the group's art activities as Director of the Samsung Art Museum (Leeum) and the Ho-Am Art Museum.
Also according to Forbes' update, Mr. Mong-Koo Chung is also one of the richest billionaires in South Korea today, with assets worth 8.9 billion USD.
Mr. Mong-Koo Chung used to hold the position of chairman of Hyundai Motor, the largest automaker in South Korea. He is the second son of the late Chung Ju-yung, who came from a farming family and later founded Hyundai Group, once the largest corporation in South Korea.
