NEU-ISENBURG, Germany — Hankook Tire Co. Ltd. has promoted Han-Jun Kim to chief operation officer for Europe and the markets of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) markets.
Mr. Kim, 52, succeeds Ho-Youl Pae, who held the position for four years. Mr. Pae is returning to South Korea to take on new responsibilities at Hankook's headquarters. The moves are effective Jan. 1.
Mr. Kim joined the company in 2011 and most recently was senior vice president of corporate management at Hankook's headquarters in Seoul, South Korea.
Hankook said he has experience in international management, particularly in the automobile sector, as he has held several management positions with Germany-based MAN Truck & Bus Group for almost nine years before joining Hankook.
Hankook credits Mr. Pae, 60, for strengthening the Hankook brand in Europe through the third expansion phase of the company's tire plant in Hungary and the opening of a winter tire testing facility in Finland.
Mr. Kim said the brand has developed strongly in the region over the last decade and his task will be to "further grow our brand awareness, brand presence and image in Europe to help to achieve our global goal of establishing Hankook as a global premium brand as well as placing our company among the leading global tire companies in the midterm."