Jungwoo Group

Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of Jungwoo Vina Co., Ltd., will give a special lecture to students majoring in costume design at Konkuk University

"The beginning of fashion is from the material...The growth of the enterprise is based on field understanding and experience."

Jungwoo Group shares global competitiveness and talent awards...Senior job/career advice

▲ Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of Jung Woo-binna, had a time to share her experiences as a senior in life, the growth process of Jung Woo-binna, a global fashion material company, and the direction to become competitive in the field of fashion industry with fourth-year costume design students who are about to get a job at Konkuk University's College of Art and Design on June 15. © TIN News

 

Jung Woo-Bina Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of a domestic fabric wheat and export company, advised future fashion talents on the importance of the material industry, the value of field experience, and the basic posture that students who are about to enter society should have.

 

Lee shared his experiences as a senior in life, the growth process of global fashion material company Jung Woo-binna, and the direction of becoming competitive in the fashion industry for senior students in the fourth grade of costume design at Konkuk University's College of Arts and Design on June 15.

 

This special lecture was organized at the invitation of Choi Sun-young, an associate professor of costume design at Konkuk University. At the event, Jung Woo-bi and Jung Gil-sook first introduced the history of Jungwoo Group, the current status of the global business, and CEO Lee Bok-hwa's growth process and leadership, followed by time for Lee and students to communicate in person and talk about employment and career paths.

▲ Jungwoo Vina, a Vietnamese subsidiary, has established the world's largest single factory of knit fabric that processes all knitting, dyeing, printing, and post-processing processes in a batch. ©TIN News

 

Material competitiveness that has grown with Jungwoo Group and global brands

 

Jungwoo Group is a fabric company that has grown with the establishment of a knit factory in Korea in 1982. Currently, it operates production bases in Korea, Vietnam, and Guatemala, and is developing and producing fabrics for global fashion brands.

 

South Korea is in charge of R&D hub, while Vietnam is a key production base with a vertical production system ranging from knitting to dyeing, printing, processing, inspection, and shipment. Guatemala is making large-scale investments with its geographical advantage close to the U.S. market and strategic production base using the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA).

 

Jungwoo Vina is a corporation in charge of Jungwoo Group's global business and has grown by collaborating with global brands such as Walmart, Target, Kohl's, Victoria's Secret, Pink, and Gap. It develops more than 500 new materials every year, and is strengthening the competitiveness of differentiated materials such as functionality, eco-friendly, and special tea fabrics.

 

"Jungwoo is not just a fabric producer, but a strategic partner with material development, production stability, quality management, and sustainability required by global brands," said Jung Woo-bin or Jung Gil-sook, head of the department.

 

In particular, Jungwoo's strength emphasized the "multi-country sourcing structure" that connects Korea, Vietnam, and Guatemala. It is explained that it is responding flexibly to global supply chain changes by utilizing the production advantages of each country and securing fast delivery and stable supply capacity based on Vietnam's large-scale vertical production capacity and Guatemala's access to North America.

▲ Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of Jung Woo-binna, gave a special lecture to fourth-year students majoring in costume design who are about to get a job at Konkuk University's College of Art and Design on June 15. © TIN News

 

From a rank-and-file employee to a global CEO...Growth Made by Steadyness

 

CEO Lee Bok-hwa, who was introduced on this day, joined Jungwoo Textile in 1995 and led the expansion of the export business, and established Jungwoo's first export division in 2005. Since then, he led the establishment of a Vietnamese production corporation in 2013 and became CEO of Jungwoo Vina in 2018 to oversee overseas production and global sales.

 

"The proportion of female CEOs in Korea is less than 3%, and among them, female CEOs who are not relatives are more limited," said Jung Woo-bina Jung Gil-sook, head of the department. "CEO Lee Bok-hwa is a representative female leader who grows in the field and leads global companies."

 

CEO Lee Bok-hwa emphasized to students, "The beginning of fashion comes from materials, and the growth of companies comes from understanding the field."

 

"Design is important, but the starting point of the fashion industry is materials in the end," he said. "Only when we understand the materials and experience the production site can we create products and competitive designs that consumers want."

 

"If students go to companies in the future, I hope they will see and learn a lot," he said. "Experiencing firsthand how global companies produce and manage quality is an important foundation for growth."

▲ Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of Jung Woo-binna, examines new materials that are being developed at the Korea Textile Initiative (KTI), a forum for localizing textile materials. © TIN News

 

The foundation of success begins with responsibility and small habits

 

CEO Lee also honestly shared his growth process.

 

"I didn't join the company with the goal of becoming a CEO from the beginning, but I grew up setting goals for the next level in my position," he said. "I started as an employee and made the next goal whenever I went up to the deputy, deputy, or manager, and I came to my current position as I went up one step at a time."

 

"I also had many moments when I wanted to quit because it was hard for me," he said. "But I didn't give up and decided again and continued to work. Eventually, people who do things steadily grow up."

 

He cited diligence, a positive attitude, and a sense of responsibility as conditions for success.

 

"Success is not something that only special people do," Lee said. "It's important how responsible you are to do your job every day. Those who do their job properly, even if it's small, are eventually recognized."

 

In particular, it drew attention by emphasizing the importance of "clean-up" as a basic posture necessary in work life.

 

"Organization and cleanliness are competitive in companies," CEO Lee said. "The first thing a buyer sees when he visits a factory is the scene. We can gain trust only when the production environment is organized and systematically operated."

 

"When you join the company, you have to manage your seat first," he said. "The small habit of going to work, organizing your desk, and looking around is the first criterion for showing your work attitude."

▲ Lee Bok-hwa, CEO of Jung Woo-binna, gave a special lecture to fourth-year students majoring in costume design who are about to get a job at Konkuk University's College of Art and Design on June 15. © TIN News

 

Expansion of Industry-Academic Cooperation...We're going to foster young talent

 

English and communication skills were emphasized for students preparing to enter a global company.

 

CEO Lee said, "Since Jungwoo Vina is a global company that deals with foreign brands, English communication skills are basically needed," adding, "Practical communication skills to communicate by email, phone, and business consultations are more important than perfect English."

 

He also stressed that "a person who is recognized by a company is a person who raises his or her value on his or her own," adding, "In order to become the person the company needs, he should develop his or her work capabilities with responsibility."

 

Lee also announced an industry-academic cooperation plan to foster young talent.

 

Jung-woo has been hiring professionals, but looking back, I thought that young talents should come into the industry and make new changes, he said. "We want to provide more opportunities to students and foster future talents in the textile and fashion industry through MOUs with Konkuk University."

 

"I was very impressed with the ideas and completeness of the students' fashion shows recently," he said, adding, "Companies should also provide opportunities to students and grow together for the future of the industry."

▲ Representative Jung Woo-bi or Lee Bok-hwa, who won the runner-up prize (KRW 500,000 for national tourism gift certificates) at the 2025 Korea Federation of Textile Industry CEO Forum. © TIN News

 

"You have to be healthy to challenge yourself"...Self-management of climbing stairs to the 21st floor

 

Lee also emphasized the importance of health care.

 

"Health is the basis for doing anything," he said. "You have to be healthy to have positive thoughts and work hard."

 

Introducing his health care method, he said, "I exercise steadily about three times a week, and I manage my physical strength by playing golf on weekends. I live on the 21st floor, but I also have the habit of going up the stairs every day without taking the elevator."

 

"You can do what you want only when you are healthy, and you can maintain good relationships with people," he said. "Students should be interested not only in studying, but also in exercise and human relations management."

 

Finally, CEO Lee asked students not to be discouraged.

 

"You are important talents who will lead the future of the Korean textile fashion industry," he said. "I hope you believe in your possibilities and steadily learn and increase your value."

▲ Jungwoo Group was selected as the KB Best Company earlier this year in recognition of its social responsibility activities and continuous management performance. Jungwoo Group Chairman Oh Byung-chul and Jungwoo Vina CEO Lee Bok-hwa, Vice President of KB Kookmin Bank Choi Wee-jip, Vice President of Gangbuk Sales Promotion Group, and others are taking a photo with Jungwoo Group employees and KB Kookmin Bank officials at the award ceremony. © TIN News

 

Jungwoo Group Strengthens Global Production Competitiveness and Social Responsibility

 

Jungwoo Group continues to engage in continuous social responsibility activities along with competitiveness on a scale based on the global production network.

 

Chairman Oh Byung-chul of Jungwoo Group was recognized for his contribution to the development of the textile fashion industry by awarding the Gold Tower Industrial Medal, one of the highest honors that can be received as an industrialist, at the 39th Textile Day event. In addition, CEO Lee Bok-hwa of Jungwoo Vina was also recognized for her contribution to leading Jungwoo Group's growth and global competitiveness by winning the Grand Prize for Korean Textile Fashion Artist.

 

Jungwoo Group is actively engaged in not only production competitiveness but also corporate social responsibility. In addition to joint local medical projects, it is carrying out activities to support orphanages and nursing homes, and is expanding social contribution activities in cooperation with various organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a non-profit international natural conservation organization, and the Korea Association for the Disabled.

 

In particular, Jungwoo Vina has been creating a model for co-prosperity with the local community along with the growth of the company by promoting joint regional medical projects with Asan Medical Center for the first time in Korea. In recognition of these social responsibility activities and continuous management performance, Jungwoo Group was selected as KB Best Company earlier this year.

 

The industry evaluates Jungwoo Group as a leading donation company in the textile fashion industry and is considered the "Donation King" for its steady sharing activities.

 

Jungwoo Group's global production capacity is also continuously expanding. By 2028, when the Guatemalan production corporation is completed, it is expected to secure a production capacity of 9,000 tons per month. In terms of fabric production, it is about 42,000 km per month.

 

Considering that the circumference of the earth is about 40,000 km, it produces a fabric that can be wound more than once every month. By weight, it is larger than the Eiffel Tower steel structure, which is about 7,300 tons, and the production is equivalent to about 6,000 mid-sized cars.

 

Jungwoo Group is building a stable supply chain based on a global production system connecting Korea, Vietnam, and Guatemala, while expanding its competitiveness in the global fashion market based on material technology and social responsibility.

 

 

 

Reporter Kim Sang-hyun tinnews@tinnews.co.kr