The annual reshuffle was brought forward by about a month for a second straight year.
It leaves most affiliate heads untouched after last year’s sweeping overhaul and puts new leaders in charge of the energy and chemical businesses.
Cheong, who also headed Korea Gas Corp., joined SK in January as president for future growth at holding company SK Inc.
He is expected to steer SK Innovation through a global slowdown and volatile energy markets while ramping up its new power business.
Kang Dong-soo, who oversaw operations at SK Inc., will serve as co-CEO of SK Innovation and lead refining unit SK Energy.
SK Inc. retained CEO Jang Yong-ho, who gives up his SK Innovation role, and promoted SKC strategy chief Kim Sun-hyuk to president.
Choi Chang-won, a cousin of Chairman Chey Tae-won, will stay on as chair of the SUPEX Council, the group’s top decision-making body.
SK also created a Southeast Asia regional post led by Choo Hyeong-wook and will hold a CEO seminar in November to set next year’s strategy.
AJP Takeaways
- On Oct. 30, 2026, SK Group named Cheong Seung-il, a former KEPCO CEO and vice industry minister, as the new chief executive of SK Innovation.
- SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung and SK Inc. CEO Jang Yong-ho kept their posts. Kang Dong-soo was named co-CEO of SK Innovation and CEO of SK Energy.
- SK Group created a Southeast Asia regional head post, adding to its existing heads for the Americas, China and Japan, and plans a CEO seminar in November.
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