Chung Mong-hun

In this Korean name, the family name is Chung.

Chung Mong-hun
정몽헌
Born	(1948-09-14)September 14, 1948
Died	August 4, 2003(2003-08-04) (aged 54) Hyundai office, Seoul
Cause of death	Suicide by jumping
Nationality	South Korean
Occupations	Entrepreneur businessman
Father	Chung Ju-yung

Korean name
Hangul	정몽헌
Hanja	鄭夢憲
Revised Romanization	Jeong Mongheon
McCune–Reischauer	Chŏng Monghŏn

Chung Mong-hun (September 14, 1948 – August 4, 2003) was the 5th son of Chung Ju-yung, the founder of the South Korean Hyundai conglomerate. After the death of his father, he took over part of his father's role and became the chairman of Hyundai Asan, the company in charge of various business ventures between North and South Korea. He committed suicide in 2003.

Professional career

Chung Mong-hun joined Hyundai Heavy Industries in 1975, becoming president of the company's shipping interests by 1981. His father, Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung, was impressed by his management style and put him in charge of the company's electronics division in 1982.

In 1997, Chung Ju-yung appointed Mong-hun as the group's co-chairman. In 2000, after Ju-yung's eldest son, Mong-koo, attempted to oust Mong-hun, Ju-yung made Mong-hun the group's sole chairman. Later that year, Ju-yung announced that he and his sons would resign from all management positions at Hyundai companies, except Mong-hun would remain the chair of Hyundai Asan. However, Mong-koo remained the chairman of Hyundai Motors and Kia Motors.

Chung Mong-hun was appointed by his father, who was born in Japan-controlled North Korea, to handle Hyundai business with the government of North Korea. He took pride in this position, and reportedly decorated his office with photographs of Hyundai officials meeting with Kim Jong Il in Pyongyang, as well as photos of himself showing Kim around a North Korean resort that Hyundai operated.

Scandal and suicide

In June 2003, Chung was indicted for his role in the "cash-for-summit scandal" on charges of doctoring company books to hide the secret money transfers of millions of dollars by the Kim Dae-jung administration to North Korea to set up the 2000 inter-Korean summit. Facing up to three years in prison after he was forced to testify in court about the money transfer days earlier, he committed suicide on August 4, 2003, by leaping from his 12th floor office.

Family

Chung family tree

Han Seong-sil 한성실 ? Chung Bong-sik 정봉식 ?   Yung Byun Joong-seok 변중석 1921–2007 Chung Ju-yung 정주영 1915–2001 Kim Kyung-hee 김경희 1953– Park Byeong-im 박병임 1928–2015 Chung Soon-yung 정순영 1922–2005 Park Young-ja 박영자 1936– Chung Se-yung 정세영 1928–2005 Jo Eun-ju 조은주 1936– Chung Sang-yung 정상영 1936–2021 (영) Kim Wol-gye 김월계 1923–2003 Chung In-yung 정인영 1920–2006 Chung Hee-yung 정희영 1925–2015 Kim Young-joo 김영주 1920–2010 Jang Jeong-ja 장정자 1935– Chung Shin-yung 정신영 1931–62       Chung Mong-pil 정몽필 1934–82 Chung Chung-in (Grace) 정정인 1979– Chung Chung-im (Elizabeth) 정정임 1981– Chung Hyeong-suk 정형숙 1951–74 Chung Moon-sook 정문숙 1947– Kim Yun-su 김윤수 1946– Chung Sook-young 정숙영 1960– Chung Il-kyung 정일경 1960– Chung Mong-hyuk 정몽혁 1961–   Mong Chung Mong-koo 정몽구 1938– Chung Mong-woo 정몽우 1945–90 Chung Mong-yoon 정몽윤 1955– Chung Mong-guk 정몽국 1953– Chung Mong-sun 정몽선 1954– Kim Geun-su 김근수 1948– Chung Mong-jin 정몽진 1960– Chung Mong-yeol 정몽열 1964– (몽) Chung Mong-kun 정몽근 1942– Chung Mong-hun 정몽헌 1948–2003 Chung Mong-il 정몽일 1959– Chung Mong-won 정몽원 1955– Chung Mong-hoon 정몽훈 1959– Chung Chung-suk 정정숙 1962– Chung Mong-ik 정몽익 1962–     Chung Kyung-hee 정경희 1944– Chung Mong-joon 정몽준 1951– Chung Mong-seok 정몽석 1958– Chung Mong-yong 정몽용 1961– Chung Mong-gyu 정몽규 1962– Chung Yoo-kyung 정유경 1970–           Chung Ji-yi 정지이 1977– Chung Young-yi 정영이 1984– Chung Young-seon 정영선 1985– Chung Hyeon-seon 정현선 1989– Chung Mun-yi 정문이 1991–     Chung Il-seon 정일선 1970– Chung Moon-seon 정문선 1974– Chung Dae-seon 정대선 1977– Chung Chung-yi 정정이 1984– Chung Kyung-seon 정경선 1986– Seon (선) Chung Ji-seon 정지선 1972– Chung Gyo-seon 정교선 1974– Chung Kisun 정기선 1982– Chung Nam-yi 정남이 1983– Chung Seon-yi 정선이 1986– Chung Ye-seon 정예선 1996–     Chung Eun-hee 정은희 1971– Chung Yu-hee 정유희 1973– Chung Seong-yi 정성이 1962– Chung Myeong-yi 정명이 1964– Chung Yoon-yi 정윤이 1968– Chung Eui-seon 정의선 1970–       Seon A-yeong 선아영 1987– Seon Tong-uk 선동욱 1989– Sin U-jin 신우진 1993– Sin U-hyeon 신우현 2004– N/A   Chung Yu-mi 정유미 1988– Chung Yu-jin 정유진 1990– Chung Jun 정준 1997– Sin U-taek 신우택 1996– Chung Jin-hui 정진희 1996– Chung Chang-cheol 정장철 1998–   Notes In general: marriages indicated by dashed lines, female on the left. Sources 김봄내 (May 15, 2015). "[재벌가족사]정주영 현대그룹 창업주" [Chaebol Family History: Chung Ju-yung, founder of Hyundai Group]. KJtimes (in Korean). 김태현 (March 23, 2015). "[단독보도] 정주영 막내딸 미국서 엄마 없이 결혼" [Exclusive: Chung Ju-yung's youngest daughter gets married without her mother in the United States]. 일요신문 (in Korean). "Family Drama". Forbes. April 26, 2011.