South Korea is home to many ultra wealthy billionaires, with the majority of them located in Seoul. These billionaires have amassed their wealth from a variety of industries, including finance and investments, technology, healthcare and biotech, and media and entertainment.
How many billionaires are in South Korea?
South Korea is home to 31 billionaires as of 2025. The majority of them, 29, are located in Seoul, while only 2 billionaires are located in Jeju-do.
Top 5 Billionaires in South Korea 2025
Who has the highest net worth in South Korea?
1. Michael Kim
Michael Kim, born in 1963, is a male self-made billionaire with a net worth of $11.2 billion as of 2025, ranking 175th in the world. His wealth is sourced from private equity in the finance and investments industries. Recently, he has expanded his portfolio into renewable energy ventures, significantly boosting his net worth.
2. Jay Y. Lee
Jay Y. Lee, born in 1968, is a male non self-made billionaire with a total worth of $8.6 billion in 2025, ranking him 240th in the world. His source of wealth is Samsung, and his business interests span the technology industry. In 2024, he successfully led Samsung’s expansion into AI-driven semiconductor manufacturing, solidifying the company’s global leadership.
3. Seo Jung-jin
Seo Jung-jin was born in 1957 and is a self-made male billionaire. In 2025, his total worth was $6.1 billion, ranking him 420th worldwide. His business operates in the Healthcare and Biotech industries and his source of wealth is Biotech. He recently spearheaded the development of a groundbreaking gene therapy that has received international recognition.
4. Kwon Hyuk-bin
Kwon Hyuk-bin, born in 1974, is a self-made male billionaire with a net worth of $5.9 billion as of 2025, ranking 480th in the world. His wealth is mainly derived from the online games industry, which is part of the larger media and entertainment sector. He also launched a successful NFT platform tied to his gaming ecosystem, expanding his influence in digital assets.
5. Kim Beom-su
Kim Beom-su, born in 1966, is a self-made male billionaire with a net worth of $5.7 billion in 2025, ranking him 510th in the world. His business operates in the technology category, specializing in online services. His business interests span the technology industry. In 2025, he invested heavily in blockchain-based financial services, which have started to yield substantial returns.
Sources:
Forbes Billionaires List 2025
Bloomberg Billionaires Index 2025
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