Koo Bon-moo


Koo Bon-moo was a South Korean business executive.

Early life

Born on 10 February 1945 in Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, Koo enrolled at Yonsei University. He moved to Ohio and completed his bachelor's and master's degrees at Ashland University and Cleveland State University, respectively.

Business career

Upon graduation from Cleveland State University, Koo returned to South Korea in 1975 and began working for Lucky Chemical, which later became LG Chem. He was transferred to GoldStar in 1980, and from 1983 to 1985, headed the company's Tokyo office. In 1995, Koo succeeded his father Koo Cha-kyung, the oldest son of LG's founder Koo In-hwoi as chairman of LG Group because of ""first son-only” succession rule". Koo Bon-moo adopted his nephew Koo Kwang-mo in 2004, after losing his only son in 1994. Starting in 2017, Koo Bon-moo sought continual treatment for a brain tumor. He refused life extension, and died in Seoul on 20 May 2018, aged 73.