NCSoft hires outsider as part of new dual leadership approach

NCSoft's new co-CEO Park Byung-moo [NCSOFT]

NCSoft, Korea’s leading game publisher, will operate under a dual leadership structure for the first time in 27 years since its founder and CEO Kim Taek-jin established the company in 1997.

NCSoft said on Monday that it recruited outside member Park Byung-moo, who was the prior head of the Korean private equity firm VIG Partners, to co-head the company.

Park will step down from his top position at VIG Partners by the end of December.

Park was introduced to the game company as a management specialist with diverse expertise in company management, strategy and investment.

He graduated from Seoul National University School of Law and started out his career as an attorney at Kim & Chang, one of Korea’s top law firms.

Park founded and led entertainment company Plenus Entertainment, and also headed the Korean division of private equity firm TPG Capital Asia and was CEO of Hanaro Telecom.

“We hope Park’s capacity and expertise will contribute to NCSoft’s leap to become a global company,” NCSoft said in a statement.

Park will be appointed through the general shareholders meeting next year.

It is the first time founder Kim has recruited an outside member to a top executive position. He has been largely running his company under family-rooted management such as his brother Kim Taek-heon, who sits as the chief publishing officer and his wife Yoon Song-yee, president and chief strategy officer of NCSoft.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]