Han-Jun Kim is announced as the new president and COO of Hankook in Europe

Mr. Han-Jun Kim will take over the position of Chief Operation Officer for Europe and the CIS countries for Hankook from the start of 2018. Kim succeeds Mr. Ho-Youl Pae, who significantly contributed to further establishing the Hankook brand in Europe. Pae has been working in this position since 2014 and will take over a new role at the company's global headquarters.

Neu-Isenburg, Germany, January 2, 2018 – Premium tyre manufacturer Hankook has appointed Mr. Han-Jun Kim (52) as Chief Operation Officer for Europe and the CIS markets and Head of European Headquarters effective January 1, 2018. Kim joined the company in 2011 and most recently served as senior vice president of Corporate Management at Hankook Tire's Global Headquarters in Seoul, Korea. While gaining many years of international management experience with renowned companies, his vita shows a strong background in the automobile sector as well, having held various management positions with Germany-based MAN Truck & Bus Group for almost nine years before joining Hankook.

Han-Jun Kim will succeed Ho-Youl Pae (60), who over the past four years has significantly strengthened the Hankook brand in Europe, among others through the establishment of the third expansion phase of a state-of-the-art tyre production in Hungary and the opening of the company's own winter tyre testing facility in the Lapland region of Finland. At the beginning of the New Year, Pae will take on new responsibilities at Hankook Tire's global headquarters in South Korea.

"Hankook has developed strongly in this region especially over the last decade and taken a holistic approach to tyre development and production in Europe. Today, leading European premium automobile brands rely on the quality and performance of our products for their original equipment“, said Han-Jun Kim. "The challenge in the coming years is to further grow our brand awareness, brand presence and image in Europe to help to achieve our global goal of establishing Hankook as a global premium brand as well as placing our company among the leading global tyre companies in the midterm. Thus we have to constantly inform motorists about our innovative, high-performance products throughout our entire region“, Kim continued.

CV Mr. Han-Jun Kim (52):

Education: M.A. in Business Administration and German Studies and Literature,

Yonsei University Korea

1991-1999: Hyosung Corporation

2000-2001: Controlling, Bayer Korea

2002-2004: CFO, MAN Truck & Bus East Asia

2005-2006: Representative Director Korea, MAN Truck & Bus East Asia

2007-2010: Head Director East Asia Center, MAN Truck & Bus East Asia

2011-2015: Vice President Corporate Management Department, Hankook Tire Co., Ltd

2016-2017: Senior Vice President Corporate Management Department, Hankook Tire Co., Ltd

2018 ~ President and COO, Hankook Tire Europe

About Hankook Tire

Hankook Tire manufactures globally innovative, award-winning radial tyres of proven superior quality for passenger cars, light trucks, SUVs, RVs, trucks, and buses as well as motorsports (circuit racing/street circuits/rallies).

Aspiring to bring consumers the utmost excellence in product quality, technological excellence and driving satisfaction, Hankook Tire continuously invests in research and development maintaining five R&D centres and eight production facilities around the world. Bespoke tyre solutions for the European markets as well as European Original Equipment according to the requirements of leading premium car manufacturers, are developed in the company’s regional Technical Centre in Hanover/Germany. Production for the European region is taking place in the state-of-the-art manufacturing site in Rácalmás/Hungary which was inaugurated in June 2007 and is continuously being expanded.

Hankook Tire’s European headquarters are located in Neu-Isenburg near Frankfurt am Main in Germany. The manufacturer operates further branches in several European countries and sells its products through regional distributors in other local markets. Hankook Tire employs approximately 20,000 people worldwide and sells products in over 160 countries. The company has been the technical partner and exclusive tyre supplier of the Generation 3 for the FIA ABB Formula E World Championship since 2023. Internationally leading car manufacturers rely on tyres made by Hankook for their original equipment. Approximately 38 percent of the company's global sales are generated within the European region.

For more information please visit www.hankooktire-mediacenter.com or www.hankooktire.com

Hankook Tire Europe GmbH | Marketing Communications Europe | Siemensstr. 14, 63263 Neu-Isenburg | Germany

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