Early Life
Lee Hae-jin was born in Seoul, South Korea, on June 22, 1967. He demonstrated an early interest in technology and computers. He received a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Seoul National University and a Master's degree from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Rise to Success
Lee began his career at Samsung SDS in 1992. In 1997, he won the Samsung SDS internal venture challenge, which provided the foundation for Naver. In 1999, Lee founded Naver.com. Naver quickly evolved from a search engine into a comprehensive internet platform, offering a wide range of services. Under his leadership, Naver became the leading search engine in South Korea, surpassing international competitors like Google.
Key Business Strategies
Lee's strategic vision included a focus on user-generated content and localization for the Korean market. Naver's creation of Knowledge iN, a question-and-answer platform, pioneered user-generated content and expanded information availability. The introduction of Naver Webtoon and Naver Music further diversified the company's offerings and expanded its reach. Lee's forward-thinking approach extended to the global market with the development of LINE, a messaging app, which gained immense popularity across Asia.
Philanthropy
While specific figures are unavailable, Naver, under Lee's direction, has initiated corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability programs.
