Shin Choon-ho
South Korean businessman (1930–2021)
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Shin Choon-ho (Korean: 신춘호; 1 December 1930 – 27 March 2021) was a South Korean businessman who founded Nongshim in 1965.[1]
Shin Choon-ho | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1930 |
| Died | 27 March 2021 (aged 90) Seoul, South Korea |
| Education | Dong-A University |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Nongshim |
| Children | 5, including Shin Dong-won |
| Relatives | Shin Kyuk-ho (brother) |
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 신춘호 |
| Hanja | 辛春浩 |
| RR | Sin Chunho |
| MR | Sin Ch'unho |
Biography
Shin Choon-ho was born on 1 December 1930 in Ulju County, Ulsan, Korea and was the third eldest son in the family. His older brother Shin Kyuk-ho was the founder of the Korean-Japanese conglomerate Lotte Corporation.
He graduated from Dong-A University in Busan in 1958 after serving as a police officer. He moved to Japan to help his brother with Lotte's confectionery business shortly afterwards.[1]
Shin founded Lotte Industrial Company, his own business separate from the existing company, in 1965 to focus on the ramyeon business.[2] In 1978, he renamed the company Nongshim, which means "farmer's heart," after his brother objected to his proposal to produce instant noodles.[1][3] The relationship between the two brothers reportedly soured, and the two never reconciled.[1]
Under Shin's leadership, Nongshim became South Korea's largest instant noodles maker and the fifth-largest in the world, and introduced popular products such as the Saeukkang, Shin Ramyun, Chapaghetti, and Neoguri.[1]
He died on 27 March 2021 at Seoul National University Hospital.[3] Shin is survived by his wife Kim Nak-yang, and five children. His eldest son, Shin Dong-won, became chairman of Nongshim.[4]