• 1915

  11·25

  Born in Asan-ri, Songjon-myeon, Tongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do

• 1930

  03

  Graduated from Songjon Primary School

• 1934

  Found employment at the Bok Heung Rice Store

• 1938

  01

  Opened Kyeong Il Rice Store for business

• 1939

  01

  Married Byun, Joong Seok

• 1940

  Took over A-do Service Garage, an automobile repair factory

• 1946

  04

  Established Hyundai Auto Service

• 1947

  05

  Established Hyundai Civil Works Company

• 1950

  01

  Merged Hyundai Auto Service with Hyundai Civil Works Company to establish Hyundai Engineering & Construction
  Established Hyundai Engineering & Construction Company

• 1950

  03

  Established Hyundai Transportation Company

• 1953

  04

  Started the restoration works for Goryeong Bridge at Nakdong River (completed in May 1955)

• 1957

  09

  Obtained an order to restore the Han River Footbridge, the single largest construction project since the Korean War

• 1962

  07

  Started construction work on the Danyang Cement Plant

• 1965

  09

  Advanced into the overseas construction market for the first time in Korea
  Obtained an order to construct the Pattani-Narathiwat Highway in Thailand

• 1967

  04

  Started construction on the multipurpose dam in Soyang River (completed in December 1973)

• 1967

  12

  Established Hyundai Motor Company

• 1968

  02

  Commenced construction of the Gyeongbu Highway (later renamed: Gyeongbu Expressway)

• 1969

  01

  Appointed as the chairman of the local social education supporters group in Korea

• 1970

  01

  Established Hyundai Cement Co., Ltd.

• 1970

  10

  Started construction of the Gori Nuclear Power Plants No. 1

• 1971

  02

  Appointed as the President of Hyundai Group

• 1971

  06

  Established Keumgang Development Company

• 1972

  03

  Groundbreaking ceremony of Hyundai Ulsan Shipyard

• 1973

  12

  Established Hyundai Heavy Industries Company

• 1974

  02

  Established Hyundai Engineering
  Established Hyundai Motor Service

• 1975

  04

  Established Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd.

• 1976

  02

  Obtained an order to construct the Al-Jubayl Industrial Port in Saudi Arabia

• 1976

  03

  Established the Asia Merchant Marine Company (the former Hyundai Merchant Marine Company)

• 1976

  12

  Established Hyundai Corporation

• 1977

  02

  Appointed as the chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI) (served 5 consecutive terms until 1987)
  Appointed as the chairman of the board of the Ulsan Technical High School

• 1977

  07

  Established Asan Foundation, appointed as the chairman of the board
  Established Hyundai Precision Industry, Co., Ltd. (the former Hyundai Mobis)

• 1978

  08

  Started reclamation work at Cheonsu Bay in Seosan

• 1981

  05

  Appointed as the head of the Seoul Olympics Bidding Committee

• 1982

  07

  Appointed the president of the Korean Olympic Committee

• 1983

  02

  Established Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.

• 1983

  09

  Acquisition of Dongbang Marine & Fire Insurance (Formerly, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Co., Ltd.)

• 1984

  02

  Cofferdam work at Seosan reclamation project (attempted the so-called ‘Chung, Ju-yung engineering’ with an oil tanker)

• 1986

  11

  Established Hyundai Development Company

• 1987

  02

  Appointed as Honorary Chairman of the Hyundai Group
  Appointed as Honorary Chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI)

• 1987

  09

  Appointed as Inaugural Chairman of the Sejong Institute

• 1989

  07

  Appointed as the Chairman of the Korea-USSR Economic Association

• 1992

  01

  Formed the United People’s Party

• 1992

  03

  Elected as a member of the 14th National Assembly (Nationwide Proportional Seat)

• 1992

  12

  Ran for presidency

• 1998

  06

  Visited North Korea with 500 heads of cattle

• 1998

  10

  Visited North Korea with 501 heads of cattle and met the leader Kim Jong-il

• 1998

  12

  Acquisition of Kia Motors

• 1999

  02

  Established Hyundai Asan Corporation

• 2001

  03 · 21

  Passed away

Awards and Prizes

• 1970

  11

  Bronze Tower of Industrial Service Merit

• 1977

  10

  Commander of the Order of the British Empire

• 1978

  09

  Bronze Tower of Industrial Service Merit

• 1979

  06

  National Order of Merit of Republic Of Senegal

• 1981

  04

  The Order of Civil Merit Dongbaeg Medal

• 1982

  06

  Golden Plate Merit Of America

• 1982

  07

  The Order of National Merit of Zaire

• 1983

  09

  The Order of Brilliant Star of the Republic of China

• 1985

  10

  The Order of Laurel Merit Of Luxembourg

• 1988

  02

  The Order of Civil Merit of Mugunwha Medal

• 1998

  02

  IOC Olympic Order

• 1998

  03

  The Knight of the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit

• 2000

  11

  Peace Prize of King Hussein of Jordan

• 2001

  02

  The Order of Friendship of Russia

• 2001

  05

  Manhae Grand Prize for Peace

• 2008

  08

  DMZ Peace Prize

An Academic Degree

• 1975

  05

  An honorary doctorate in engineering from Kyung Hee University

• 1976

  10

  An honorary doctorate in economics administration from Chungnam National University

• 1982

  05

  An honorary doctorate in economics administration from George Washington University, U.S.

• 1985

  05

  An honorary doctorate in economics administration from Yonsei University

• 1986

  05

  An honorary doctorate in literature from Ewha Womans University

• 1990

  04

  An honorary doctorate in politics from Sogang University

• 1995

  03

  An honorary doctorate in philosophy from Korea University

• 1995

  05

  An honorary doctorate in humanities from Johns Hopkins University, U.S.

• 2000

  02

  An honorary doctorate in science from Korea National Sport University