Skip to content
Billionaire Profile
Lee Joon-ho
Global Rank
#2962

Lee Joon-ho

CEO, Online games
Seoul, South Korea
Real-Time Net Worth
$1.27B
Estimated based on Online games stock value as of September 10, 2026
-2.72% (24h)
Age
61
Source
Online games
Industry
Technology
Citizenship
South Korea

Biography

Lee Joon-ho, born in 1964, is a prominent South Korean business executive and investor, with a current net worth of $1.1 billion. He gained prominence as a co-founder of Naver, South Korea's leading internet portal, and later as the chairman of NHN, Naver's online games business. Lee's wealth stems from his ventures in online games. His career includes developing search technology for the Empas web portal while an associate professor and founding Search Solution. He holds degrees from Seoul National University and KAIST. As of March 10, 2026, Lee Joon-ho holds the rank of #3185 on the Forbes Billionaires list.

AI-Assisted Draft
Not yet reviewed by an editor — how we work
Data Updated
Sep 10, 2026
Report a Correction

Wealth Over Time

Net Worth History

YearNet Worth
2026$1.27B
2025$1.10B
2024$1.10B

Portfolio Holdings

NHN

NHN

media-entertainment

In-Depth Profile

Early Life and Education

Lee Joon-ho was born in 1964 in South Korea. He earned a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in computer science and engineering from Seoul National University. He furthered his education by receiving a Master of Science and a PhD from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).

Rise to Success

Lee Joon-ho is credited as a co-founder of Naver, South Korea's largest internet portal. He developed search technology for Empas, a web portal while working as an associate professor at Soongsil University. He later founded Search Solution, which merged with Naver.

He served various c-suite positions overseeing the overall management of NHN, the parent company of Naver. Lee left Naver in 2013, when NHN split into NHN Entertainment Corporation and Naver Corporation. In 2014, he acquired a 9.53% stake in NHN Entertainment, which rebranded to NHN in 2019.

Key Business Strategies

Lee is currently the chairman of NHN, which was Naver's online-games business until the two split in 2013. Lee sold $225 million worth of Naver shares in 2014 and another $115 million worth in 2016. NHN's businesses now span from online gaming and digital payments to e-commerce and cloud services.

Philanthropy

Specifics on Lee Joon-ho's philanthropic activities are not readily available in the search results.

Career Milestones

1999

Developed search technology for Empas

While an associate professor at Soongsil University, he developed search technology for Empas, a web portal.

2000

Founded Search Solution

Founded the independent company Search Solution with funding from Naver, which it eventually merged with in 2000.

2013

Left Naver

Lee left Naver when NHN split into NHN Entertainment Corporation and Naver Corporation.

2014

Acquired Stake in NHN Entertainment

He acquired a 9.53% stake in NHN Entertainment, which rebranded to NHN in 2019.

Billionaires Connected to Lee Joon-ho

Peers in Technology

All Technology billionaires

Richest in South Korea

All billionaires from South Korea

Adjacent Global Ranks

Full global ranking

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lee Joon-ho's net worth in 2026?
As of 2026, Lee Joon-ho's estimated net worth is $1.273 billion, ranking #2962 among the world's billionaires. The estimate is based on publicly available shareholding data and market prices, updated daily.
How did Lee Joon-ho make their money?
Lee Joon-ho's wealth primarily comes from Online games, most notably through Online games.
Where is Lee Joon-ho from?
Lee Joon-ho is from South Korea.
How old is Lee Joon-ho?
Lee Joon-ho is 61 years old.

Sources & References

  1. Lee Joon-ho — Forbes profile Forbes