Major Jung Dajeong and APR CEO Byunghoon Kim Selected for Ponyjung Young Leader Award
by Han Jinjoo
Published 19 Aug.2025 09:40(KST)
Byunghoon Kim, Next-Generation Leader Driving K-Beauty's Global Growth
Dajeong Jung, Pioneering Female Talent Advancing Aerospace Development
The Ponyjung Foundation announced on the 19th that it has selected Major Jung Dajeong of the Air Force and Byunghoon Kim, CEO of APR, as the recipients of the 6th Ponyjung Young Leader Award, which supports young innovators under the age of 40.
Hyun-kyu Chung, Chairman of the Ponyjung Foundation, explained the reasons for their selection as Young Leader Award recipients, stating, "Major Jung Dajeong is a pioneering female talent with a strong sense of mission for the future of aerospace in Korea, while CEO Byunghoon Kim is a next-generation business leader who has successfully expanded K-beauty in the global market. Both embody the Ponyjung spirit of challenge, innovation, and social contribution."
Major Jung Dajeong became the first female officer to be selected for the development test flight training program in 2019 and has since accumulated approximately 1,400 flight hours. She later obtained certification as a KF-21 development test pilot and is currently responsible for evaluating the stability and performance of test flights for the Korean supersonic fighter jet KF-21 "Boramae," which is scheduled for deployment in 2026. In an environment where female pilots make up only about 4% of the Air Force, Major Jung has established herself as a symbolic figure on the frontlines of national defense through her skill and dedication. The KF-21, in which Major Jung participates, is the first domestically developed fighter jet in Korea, reflecting the spirit of challenge exemplified by Honorary Chairman Chung Se-yung, who introduced Korea's first indigenous car model, the Pony.
CEO Byunghoon Kim founded APR in 2014 with the ambition to build a company that sells products enhancing customers' lives. In just ten years, he has grown APR into a new powerhouse in the K-beauty industry, rapidly building brand recognition and business performance not only in Korea but also in global markets such as the United States, Japan, and Greater China. Through active global marketing, including outdoor advertising in New York's Times Square and overseas pop-up stores, he has contributed to raising the profile of K-brands. Thanks to proactive efforts to enhance shareholder value, APR surpassed a market capitalization of 6 trillion won just one year after its listing on the securities market, attracting significant attention from the capital market as well.
The Ponyjung Young Leader Award is a second Ponyjung Innovation Award, established in 2020 to carry on the spirit of innovation and challenge of Honorary Chairman Chung Se-yung of HDC Group (formerly Hyundai Development Company). The award grants 50 million won and a trophy to each of two innovators under the age of 40. Last year, the recipients were Go player Shin Jinseo (9-dan) and artist and actress Jung Eunhye. This year's award ceremony will be held on September 17 at Ponyjung Hall in I'Park Tower, Samseong-dong.
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