Classification society Korean Register (KR) has appointed Lee Yongsok as its 26th chairman and chief executive.
Lee, who took the helm following an election at an extraordinary general assembly held on December 23, is a long-serving KR executive, having joined the society in 1995. Over the past three decades he has held a range of technical and management roles, including general manager of KR’s Copenhagen office and head of the domestic business development team.
Most recently, Lee served as executive vice president responsible for KR’s business division, a role he has held since 2020.
Commenting on his appointment, Lee said he was taking on the role at a time of significant change for the maritime industry, with decarbonisation and digitalisation reshaping ship design, operations and compliance.
He added that his focus would be on strengthening KR’s responsibilities as a classification society through open communication, while supporting the long-term sustainable development of the global maritime sector.
Lee’s three-year term at Busan-based KR, which currently classes over 3,200 vessels with a combined gross tonnage of around 90m, will run until December 22, 2028.
