[2025 INNOVATION LEADER] KO SANG GOO, CHAIRMAN OF THE WORLD KOREAN FEDERATION: “I WILL FIND EVEN ONE MORE HIDDEN KOREAN”

Interview with the leader of the 7.3 million World Korean Federation

In October of last year, he took office as the Chairman of the World Korean Federation.

He removed the character “회” (which means “association”) from the name of the organization.

Innovation after innovation to transform it into a true gathering for Koreans abroad.

Chairman Ko is the protagonist of the distribution revolution in Vietnam.

“Overseas Koreans are the driving force behind the current Korean Wave.”

The government must foster a sense of pride among overseas Koreans.

Expanding the participation of MZ (Millennial and Generation Z) Koreans in the Korean community is a major challenge.

The budget for the Overseas Koreans Agency is grossly insufficient and needs to be expanded.

Ko Sang Goo, Chairman of the World Korean Federation, who stands tall as a global entrepreneur operating 150 Korean food distribution stores in Vietnam and revolutionizing the local distribution sector, emphasized in an interview with The Korea Herald and Herald Economy that, under his leadership, the organization will evolve into a true representative body that advocates for the rights of 7.3 million Koreans abroad with new and innovative leadership. He pointed out that the current Korean Wave is driven by the hard work and dedication of overseas Koreans living in various countries, and stressed that the government should offer genuine support to foster their patriotism and pride. Ko is pictured here during an interview at Herald Square with The Herald Economy and The Korea Herald. Reporter Park Hae-mook.

In October 2002, a businessman entered the department store business in Hanoi, Vietnam, with a dream and an investment of 2.3 billion KRW. Back then, 2.3 billion KRW was a large sum, and considering the economic scale, Ho Chi Minh City seemed like the right choice. The number of Koreans in Ho Chi Minh City was around 3,000-4,000, while Hanoi had only about 500. It might have been better to do business in Ho Chi Minh City. However, the businessman’s judgment was different. Although Hanoi was an emerging market, he believed its market potential could exceed that of Ho Chi Minh City.

But his decision turned out to be incorrect. Just six months after starting the department store business, he had to shut it down. The department store was “ill-suited” for Hanoi at the time. The economic level of the local people in Hanoi was more in line with traditional markets, and the best they could manage was a hypermarket. Therefore, the department store business was too hasty. It nearly failed. He had no choice but to go into liquidation, offering a 50-90% discount in an effort to recover some money. It was a desperate effort, squeezing out every ounce of energy. He thought, “If I can’t sell even this way, I’ll never be able to sell.” He was determined to make at least some profit, even if it meant selling everything, including waste. Eventually, he managed to recover 300 million KRW. Having invested 2.3 billion KRW and recouped only 300 million KRW, many would say he “lost everything.” But he changed his perspective. He called it a “successful failure.” His friends and family told him to return to Korea since he had failed in Vietnam. However, his frustration turned into determination, and he gained confidence. He thought, “Isn’t failure a stepping stone to success? I lost 2 billion KRW in Vietnam, but even recovering 300 million KRW and gaining insights from this failure gave me invaluable know-how. This is a big asset.” With that, he decided to start over.

Rolling up his sleeves, he ventured into a new business model—ginseng. He believed ginseng, a product that represents Korea, had a high chance of success. He created a ginseng corner, and it sold well. At that time, he also focused on selling suits. He imported unsold suits from Korea, including items from places like Gonjiam and Icheon, which were priced at 45,000 KRW in Korea, and sold them for 100,000 KRW in Hanoi. Ginseng and Korean-made suits became popular products in Hanoi. As Vietnam’s economy opened up, foreign investment entered, and a real estate boom led to many apartments being built. With an influx of foreign diplomats and businesspeople, the demand for suits skyrocketed among local officials and leaders. The suit business boomed. Along with ginseng, which became a huge success, the business thrived.

This is how Ko Sang Goo, the chairman of K Market Group, who now runs 150 Korean food distribution stores in Vietnam, became a leader in the local distribution industry.

Recognized for his global business acumen and innovative leadership, he was appointed as the second chairman of the World Korean Federation (Sekhan Federation) in October last year. The Sekhan Federation, founded in 2021, plays a role in uniting over 500 local Korean organizations and 10 regional Korean federations around the world. Under Ko’s leadership, Sekhan Federation is transforming into the representative organization that advocates for the rights of 7.3 million overseas Koreans. He has also served as the chairman of the 18th World Korean Business Convention and the second president of the Council of Korean Business Leaders, and currently serves as the vice-chairman of the Asia-Pacific branch of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). He is actively working to enhance K-competitiveness both domestically and globally.

As the chairman of the World Korean Federation, Ko visited Herald Media Group (Korea Herald & Herald Economy) on the 10th. In his first remarks, he stated, “The government must recognize the status of overseas Koreans, who have made significant contributions to Korea’s economy and culture, and provide them with proper treatment.” He emphasized that the government should provide a foundation to foster patriotism and pride among overseas Koreans. He gave an example, saying, “While the budget for sports organizations is in the billions of dollars, the budget for the Overseas Korean Agency is only around 1 billion KRW, and that’s stagnant. The budget should be increased to 10 trillion KRW within three years.”

The spirit of service is the core keyword of Chairman Ko Sang-gu’s leadership. From his youth, he was involved in JC (Junior Chamber) activities, and since then, he has adopted the philosophy that service is the most beautiful endeavor for humanity. He says that the phrase “service is the most beautiful business” is something he still holds dear in his heart. Reporter Park Hae-mook

He also emphasized that a significant part of Korea’s competitive edge today is contributed by overseas Koreans. Chairman Ko stated, “While K-pop, K-food, K-culture, etc., are attributed to the success of Korean idols and Korea itself, we must not overlook the crucial role of overseas Koreans in promoting and spreading Korean culture worldwide.” He added, “Our overseas Koreans have lived diligently and successfully in their respective countries, and the locals have recognized their efforts, changing their perception of Korea, which has become the driving force behind the Korean Wave today.”

He also revealed his plan to expand the participation of the younger generation in the Korean community. Chairman Ko said, “As the first and second-generation overseas Koreans are aging, it is crucial to absorb the younger MZ generation of overseas Koreans into the community, but there are many challenges in doing so. The task is to develop an innovative solution that encourages participation from overseas Koreans before they lose their identity.”

Here is the interview with Chairman Ko, who leads the 7.3 million overseas Koreans.

Q: Congratulations on becoming the Chairman of the World Federation of Overseas Koreans, even though it is a bit late. You’ve been in office for about four months now; what achievements have you made so far?

• Originally, the organization was called the “World Korean Association,” but we changed it to the “World Federation of Overseas Koreans.” This change, though small, is very significant. The name “World Korean Association” referred to the gathering of 500 Korean community leaders, but by removing the word ‘Association,’ the new name reflects that this is a group for the rights of the 7.3 million overseas Koreans, not just a meeting for the Korean community leaders. This change shows our commitment to becoming a true organization that represents the rights of overseas Koreans. Please consider this as the first step in our effort to truly advocate for their rights.

Q: Can you introduce the World Federation of Overseas Koreans in more detail?

• Under the World Federation of Overseas Koreans, there are ten regional federations on different continents, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Oceania, and Latin America. There are approximately 500 regional federations worldwide. Our goal is to raise the status of overseas Koreans, protect their rights, promote networking, contribute to the Republic of Korea, and urge overseas Koreans to participate in elections. The most important thing is to unite the overseas Korean community to help our homeland, Korea, just like Jewish and Chinese communities have done, thereby raising the status of overseas Koreans.

Q: The 2030 vision of the World Federation of Overseas Koreans aims to create a global platform for mutual development and the welfare of humanity. What exactly does this platform entail?

• We had 7.5 million Koreans worldwide, but after COVID-19, this number has decreased to around 7.3 million. Many Koreans from China have left. We have 500 Korean associations in 180 countries, but currently, around 380 of them are members of the Federation. This means that many Korean associations are hidden. We need to bring in those from small countries, like those in Africa, and other countries whose associations haven’t joined us. The reason is that there are things the government should do and things we must do. If a disaster, crisis, disease, or war happens in those countries, some Koreans may not be protected. We need to know how many Koreans are in each country and how they are living to help them. Many of these situations are unknown to the government. Even the Overseas Koreans Foundation doesn’t have records for many of these places. There are many areas where our networks extend beyond the government’s reach. We need to locate and help those hidden Koreans. This will be a continuing mission for us.

Q: As overseas Koreans’ second and third generations, and eventually the fourth and fifth generations, grow up, their connection to Korea may weaken compared to their grandparents’ generation. Expanding participation among younger overseas Koreans in the Federation seems to be a major task. What plans do you have?

• We have several key initiatives, but the most important is nurturing the next generation. The MZ generation and today’s children don’t care about joining Korean associations. Living in the era of artificial intelligence (AI), will they come out to dedicate and serve their community? It’s almost a relief if they do. As the generations pass, their identity fades. That’s when concerns about Korean associations grow. For instance, as Trump’s immigration policies expand, children become more Americanized. They may forget Korean, and their pride in being Korean could disappear. So, we need to reinforce their identity and make them proud of being Korean. This is the most crucial task. If, 20 to 30 years from now, our community becomes highly aged, most of us will be gone. So, we need to develop a program to increase participation among MZ generation overseas Koreans before it’s too late. I want to implement that innovative solution.

Q: It seems that this could be pushed forward as a key project with the Overseas Koreans Agency.

• We are working with them, but such tasks involve not only the organization but also budgets, and that’s where it gets difficult. The Overseas Koreans Agency runs various programs like Korean language schools and visits to Korea for second-generation Koreans, but in terms of effectiveness, it’s questionable. The Overseas Koreans Agency’s budget is just over 1 trillion KRW, but it’s still insufficient, and the business budget is even smaller. The budget has actually decreased compared to the previous Overseas Koreans Foundation. The organization has grown, but the operating costs are high. The foundation’s budget was around 667 billion KRW, and it had a larger business budget then. That’s why we keep requesting an increase in the Overseas Koreans Agency’s budget.

Q: Overseas Koreans are a major asset for global public diplomacy, aren’t they? Wouldn’t emphasizing that point improve things?

• That’s true. Overseas Koreans contribute significantly to global public diplomacy. What the government cannot do, the Federation can. For the government to do it, it needs a budget and an organization, but overseas Koreans can take action as soon as they decide to. That’s the kind of organization we are. Vietnam is the hub of the Korean Wave in Southeast Asia. K-pop, K-food, K-culture — while Korean idols played a big role in this success, we cannot overlook the role of overseas Koreans in promoting and spreading Korean culture worldwide. If our overseas Koreans hadn’t lived diligently and successfully in their countries, how could the people of those countries accept Korean culture? Our overseas Koreans have worked hard to succeed and maintain a good reputation. They’ve introduced K-food to their local friends, spreading K-culture. They’ve played the role of public diplomats and ambassadors. 7.3 million overseas Koreans laid the foundation for the Korean Wave.

Chairman Ko Sang Goo (right) posed with Choi Jin-young, the CEO of Herald Media Group, in front of a bungeoppang store in Huam-dong after their interview with Herald. After tasting the red bean latte and bungeoppang at the shop, he remarked that the neighborhood of Huam-dong exuded warmth and a sense of familiarity, expressing his gratitude for the invitation to the interview.

▷ It seems like you’re quite disappointed by the government’s lack of attention to overseas Koreans.

• The government should understand that the recognition and success of Koreans in overseas communities has helped enhance the standing of Korean culture. Overseas Koreans are a valuable asset, and the government needs to recognize that. Korea should evaluate overseas Koreans as an asset, but it has not been able to do so. Out of 7.3 million overseas Koreans, more than 1.9 million hold voting rights. For example, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which has around 2.4 to 2.5 million people, has a budget of over 13 trillion won. But despite managing a network of 7.3 million people with a budget of only about 1 billion won, there is no place managing it. The infrastructure that overseas Koreans have laid down is of economic value, and the government cannot replicate it with tax money. This infrastructure has been built by the overseas Koreans themselves. I want the country to recognize that.

▷ It seems that leaders of organizations should have a unique philosophy.

• Some leaders are driven by a desire for honor, some approach it with a spirit of service and a sense of mission, and others may be motivated by their own business interests. I believe that a leader must have a sense of honor. Honor is also a value. However, it is important to have a spirit of service. If there is a desire related to personal business or interests, the organization will collapse. A leader must have both honor and a spirit of service. Since my youth, I have been involved in JC activities, and since then, I have made service my philosophy, believing that service is the most beautiful work for humanity. The phrase ‘service is the most beautiful work’ is something I still carry in my heart.

▷ You currently hold the position of Vice Chair of the National Unification Advisory Council. Could you tell us more about it?

• My term will end this August. There are five vice chairs, covering the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Japan, and China. I am responsible for the Asia-Pacific region, which includes 26 countries. Until the end of my term, I will continue to carry out my duties as Vice Chair with a strong sense of mission and do my best. I will be active and diligent this year.