Choi Yun-beom

Choi Yun-beom serves as Chairman and CEO of Korea Zinc, the world's largest zinc smelting company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The company, founded by the Choi and Chang families, processes zinc concentrate into refined zinc metal, and through its smelting operations also produces significant quantities of lead, gold, silver, copper, indium, gallium, and other valuable byproduct metals. Korea Zinc's Onsan smelter in South Korea is one of the largest and most technologically advanced non-ferrous metal smelters in the world. What makes Korea Zinc particularly interesting to investors is its aggressive pivot toward new energy materials. The company has announced ambitious plans for green hydrogen production (leveraging its expertise in electrolysis), copper foil manufacturing for electric vehicle batteries (through subsidiary LS-Nikko Copper), battery recycling (recovering lithium, nickel, cobalt from spent EV batteries), and renewable energy generation. These initiatives represent a transformation from a traditional smelting company into a diversified metals and energy transition company. The company was also the subject of a dramatic hostile takeover battle in 2024, with MBK Partners and Young Poong Corporation attempting to acquire a controlling stake, opposed by the incumbent Choi family management. Key stock drivers include zinc and precious metals prices, smelting treatment charges, new energy investment execution (green hydrogen, copper foil, battery recycling), corporate governance and ownership structure, and the outcome of ongoing shareholder disputes.