COMPANY·HISTORIES

South Korea

Companies based in South Korea, and the events that shaped them.

11companies1898–2002founding years10still active1no longer operating
§ 01

South Korea companies over time

Companies foundedEconomyTechnologyEnvironmentHistory
FoundedKorea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco)
1898
1903
TechnologyThe Wright brothers achieve powered flight.
1914
EconomyWorld War I begins; global trade reorders.
1929
EconomyThe stock market crashes; the Great Depression spreads worldwide.
FoundedSsangyong Cement Industrial Co., Ltd.
1939
EconomyWorld War II begins; wartime production surges.
1945
EconomyThe war ends; a long global expansion begins.
FoundedHyundai Group
1947
TechnologyThe transistor is invented.
FoundedCJ CorporationFoundedHanwha Group
1953
FoundedTong Yang Cement Corporation
1957
1958
TechnologyThe integrated circuit is demonstrated.
FoundedKookmin Bank
1962
EnvironmentSilent Spring launches the modern environmental movement.
1971
EconomyThe dollar leaves the gold standard; currencies float.
1973
EconomyThe OPEC oil embargo triggers a global shock.
1975
TechnologyThe personal-computer era begins.
FoundedHanjin Shipping Co., Ltd.
1977
1979
EconomyA second oil crisis drives inflation higher worldwide.
1981
TechnologyThe IBM PC launches and sets a standard.
1984
TechnologyApple ships the Macintosh; the GUI era begins.
1987
EconomyBlack Monday: markets fall sharply around the world.
1989
HistoryThe Berlin Wall falls; global markets open up.
1991
TechnologyThe World Wide Web is released to the public.
TechnologyLinux and open source challenge proprietary software.
1993
TechnologyThe Mosaic browser brings the web to everyone.
1994
TechnologyE-commerce begins to disrupt retail.
1995
TechnologyWindows 95 launches; the internet goes mainstream.
1997
EconomyThe Asian financial crisis rattles global markets.
EnvironmentThe Kyoto Protocol sets the first climate targets.
2000
EconomyThe dot-com bubble bursts.
FoundedKT&G Corporation
2002
2004
TechnologySocial media and Web 2.0 take hold.
2007
TechnologyThe iPhone launches the smartphone era.
2008
EconomyThe global financial crisis freezes credit worldwide.
2010
TechnologyCloud computing goes mainstream for business.
2015
EnvironmentThe Paris Agreement sets global climate targets.
2020
EconomyThe COVID-19 pandemic upends the global economy.
2022
EconomyInflation spikes; central banks raise rates sharply.
2023
TechnologyGenerative AI reaches mainstream business use.
§ 02

The companies

Kia Motors Corporation →
Active · South Korea
Founded: 1944 Employees: 18,098 Sales: $3.9 billion (1997) NAIC: 336111 Automobile Manufacturing Until its merger with…
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. →
Active · South Korea
Founded: 1969 Employees: 51,926 Sales: US$14.94 billion Stock Exchanges: Seoul SICs: 3559 Special Industry Machinery…
Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) →
Active · founded 1898 · South Korea
State-owned Korea Electric Power Corporation, also known as Kepco, is in the process of dismantling its more than…
Ssangyong Cement Industrial Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1939 · South Korea
A member of the Ssangyong conglomerate, Ssangyong Cement Industrial Co., Ltd.
Hyundai Group →
Active · founded 1947 · South Korea
The Hyundai Group spent most of its history operating as one of South Korea's largest chaebols, or conglomerates.
CJ Corporation →
Active · founded 1953 · South Korea
South Korea's largest food manufacturer, CJ Corporation, is also one of the world's leading producers of such food…
Hanwha Group →
Active · founded 1953 · South Korea
Hanwha Group is one of South Korea's top ten chaebols--or conglomerates--with diversified holdings stretching from…
Tong Yang Cement Corporation →
Active · founded 1957 · South Korea
Tong Yang Cement Corporation is one of South Korea's two leading cement producers and is among the world's largest…
Kookmin Bank →
Defunct · founded 1962 · South Korea
Total Assets: KRW 171.49 trillion ($145 billion)(2002) Stock Exchanges: Korea New York Ticker Symbol: KB NAIC: 522110…
Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd. →
Active · founded 1977 · South Korea
Hanjin Shipping Co., Ltd., a Korean global carrier, was established in 1977 by its family-run parent conglomerate, the…
KT&G Corporation →
Active · founded 2002 · South Korea
KT&G Corporation is the new name for the former Korean government-controlled Korea Tobacco & Ginseng Corporation.
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