Kihak Sung

Kihak Sung is the Chairman and CEO of Youngone Corporation, a South Korean conglomerate that is one of the largest investors in Bangladesh's garment and textile sector. 🏭 He is widely recognized as a pioneer in Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) and textile sectors, playing a crucial role in the country's rise as a major global exporter.

🎓 Born in 1947 in Seoul, Korea, Sung pursued a degree in international economics from Seoul National University. After graduation, he engaged in international trade through Seoul Trading, which ignited his entrepreneurial ambitions and led him to establish Youngone Corporation in 1974.

🏭 Pioneer in Bangladesh's RMG Sector

📍 In 1980, Sung made a groundbreaking move by setting up Bangladesh's first foreign-owned apparel manufacturing plant in Chattogram. This was the beginning of Bangladesh's transformation into a global hub for garment production.

🏭 Youngone's factories, located in Dhaka and Chattogram's export processing zones, produce:

• 🧥 High-quality jackets — for international brands
• 👖 Trousers — garment manufacturing
• 👟 Sports shoes — footwear production
• 👜 Leather goods — leather products for export

📊 At present, the company employs approximately 70,000 people across Bangladesh, making it one of the country's largest employers in the manufacturing sector.

🌱 Korean EPZ (KEPZ) — Sustainable Industrial Development

🏗️ One of Sung's most significant contributions to Bangladesh is the development of the Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) in Chattogram. Key achievements:

• 📍 Acquired in 1999 — Sung personally invested in developing the zone
• 🌳 2.7 million trees planted — massive afforestation initiative
• 💧 33 water bodies — conserving 500 million gallons of rainwater
• 🏭 43 state-of-the-art factories — under the "Blue & Green" initiative
• ☀️ 40 MW rooftop solar — one of the largest in the global textile industry
• 💰 $400 million annual exports — from KEPZ factories alone

🏆 Global Textile Leadership

🌐 Beyond his work in Bangladesh, Sung has been deeply involved in global and Korean textile leadership:

• 🇰🇷 Chairman — Korea Federation of Textile Industries
• 🌍 President (2018-2020) — International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF)
• 🏅 Lifetime Achievement Award — awarded by The Daily Star (October 2024)
• 🇧🇩 Honorary Citizenship of Bangladesh — awarded by Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus at Bangladesh Investment Summit-2025 (April 2025)

🎖️ The honorary Bangladesh citizenship recognizes Sung's 45+ years of contribution to Bangladesh's garment and textile export sector, making him one of the most respected foreign investors in the country's history. 📈