The classification society Korean Register (KR) has a new Chairman and CEO. A manager who has been with the company for 30 years has been appointed as Lee Hyungchul’s successor.
It has been announced that Lee Yongsok took office on December 23, 2025, following an election at an extraordinary meeting of the KR General Assembly. He has been appointed as the 26th Chairman and CEO of KR.
Lee Yongsok has been with KR since 1995. Since then, he has “gained extensive experience in a variety of technical and managerial positions”, according to the press release. Among other things, he was General Manager of the Copenhagen office and General Manager of the Domestic Business Development Team. Most recently, he has been responsible for KR’s Business Division as Executive Vice President since 2020. His term of office runs until December 22, 2028.
Following his appointment, Lee said: “I feel a great responsibility to take on the role of Chairman at a critical time when the maritime industry is undergoing structural change due to decarbonization and digital transformation. Through leadership based on open communication, I will work to further strengthen KR’s role and responsibility and contribute to the sustainable development of the global maritime industry.”
KR currently classifies an international fleet of 3,203 vessels with a total tonnage of 90 million GT. The company is headquartered in Busan, South Korea, and has a network of 80 offices worldwide.
