Jay Y. Lee, Executive Chairman of Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), has been named the most respected business leader of 2025 by Generation Z in South Korea.
A survey of 3,079 job seekers and employees conducted by Catch, a recruitment platform operated by Jinhaksa, found that Lee received overwhelming support with 52% of all responses, securing the top position. Lee has maintained his status as the most trusted leader among Gen Z, following his previous first-place ranking in a 2022 survey.
Euisun Chung, Executive Chairman of Hyundai Motor Group (005380.KS), came in second with 9% of votes. Chung rose five places from his seventh-place finish in the previous survey.
Tae-won Chey, Chairman of SK Group, maintained his third-place position with 7%.
Seung-youn Kim, Chairman of Hanwha Group, ranked fourth with 6%, showing a significant jump from his previous tenth-place ranking. The top-ranked leaders share a common trait of being "performance-driven" executives who have delivered consistent operating profit growth and solid results despite external challenges such as tariffs.
Soo-yeon Choi, CEO of Naver (035420.KS), ranked fifth with 5%, while Ki-sun Chung, Chairman of HD Hyundai (267250.KS), entered the rankings for the first time at sixth place with 4%. Chung's strategic focus on future industries and organizational changes since taking office has been positively received by Gen Z, according to the analysis.
Rounding out the top ten were Jae-hyun Lee, Chairman of CJ Group, in seventh place with 4%; Yong-jin Chung, Chairman of Shinsegae Group, in eighth with 3%; Jeong-won Park, Chairman of Doosan Group, in ninth with 3%; and Kwang-mo Koo, Chairman of LG Group, in tenth with 3%.
The survey found that Lee's dominant first-place finish was attributed to his competence-based leadership. When asked about reasons for their choice, respondents cited expertise and capability (39%) as the most important factor, followed by clear goal-setting and vision (15%), listening and communication skills (12%), and support for team members' growth (12%). The results show that Gen Z values tangible performance and communication skills over mere titles or image when evaluating leaders.
When asked about key trends in the 2025 job market, respondents ranked the expansion of AI-powered recruitment first at 29%, reflecting widespread changes in job preparation methods as AI-based hiring processes become more common. This was followed by an increase in career breaks (20%) and preference for experienced new hires (17%).
Other notable trends included discussions on implementing a 4.5-day workweek (13%), expansion of AI-driven restructuring (9%), strengthening STEM talent development (8%), and growing interest in manufacturing and blue-collar positions (4%), reflecting shifts in the employment environment and changing perceptions.
"This survey confirms that Gen Z's criteria for evaluating leaders are becoming more focused on performance and communication," said Kim Jung-hyun, Head of Catch at Jinhaksa. "There is a clear trend of wanting to gain practical experience and enhance market value under proven leadership."
