BIOGRAPHY

Kang was born in 1939 in Masan, South Gyeongsang Province. He went to Masan High School and studied law at Dong-A University, earning his own tuition as his family went through financial difficulties.
He started as a used car import dealer and built up a transportation company. In 1942, however, he changed the course of his business, purchasing a tire manufacturing factory and setting up a tire company named Heung-A.
The company changed its name to Nexen and grew into a major tire maker with an annual sales of 1.84 trillion won ($1.58 billion, 2015).
He married Kim Yang-ja in 1966 and their only son Ho-chan is being groomed to take over the control of the company, currently serving as president.