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Shifting from a Sole to Co-CEO Structure
On October 1, 2026, Naver Webtoon announced the appointment of Webtoon Entertainment President Kim Yong-soo and Chief Administrative Officer Kim Kyu-nam as its new co-CEOs. This marks a strategic transition from a single leadership model to a dual one. The company noted that this reorganization is designed to refine localized growth strategies while driving deeper synergy between the Korean subsidiary and the global headquarters.
Former sole CEO Kim Jun-koo will now focus entirely on his roles as CEO and Chairman of the Board for Webtoon Entertainment, Naver Webtoon’s US-based parent company. His mandate centers on expanding the global market and securing long-term growth engines, providing high-level support to regional operations. Meanwhile, the Korean subsidiary will be steered by the two new co-CEOs, who will split their focus between overarching global strategy and the management of the domestic creator ecosystem.
This reshuffle follows the creation of the President role at Webtoon Entertainment earlier in March 2026, further decentralizing executive responsibilities. With CEO Kim Jun-koo charting the company’s long-term course, the co-CEOs in Korea are tasked with executing business initiatives and building relationships with local stakeholders. It’s a framework built to separate the broader trajectory of the global enterprise from regional decision-making, while keeping them intrinsically linked.
Two Leaders, Splitting Global Strategy and the Local Ecosystem
Co-CEO Kim Yong-soo will maintain his title as President of Webtoon Entertainment alongside his new duties. Joining Naver Webtoon in 2022 after stints at McKinsey & Company and Tesla, he previously served as the head of the global webtoon division and Chief Strategy Officer. Upon his appointment as President in March 2026, he was tasked with sharpening operational efficiency and accelerating execution.
During his tenure as CSO, Kim helped ensure the company’s financial health, guided it toward its IPO, and forged partnerships with global entertainment giants. His approach pushed the platform’s growth beyond mere user acquisition, tying it seamlessly to capital markets, IP monetization, and external alliances. Now acting as both Co-CEO and President, he plays an even clearer role: bridging the headquarters’ strategy with the Korean subsidiary’s business maneuvers.
Co-CEO Kim Kyu-nam will take on his new leadership role while shifting his C-suite title at Webtoon Entertainment from Chief Risk Officer to Chief Administrative Officer. A former in-house counsel for GS E&C, he joined Naver Webtoon in 2018 and has since been a driving force behind content policy. He has overseen the points where the platform meets its creators, managing content operational procedures, establishing guidelines, launching creator systems, and aggressively countering piracy.
Strengthening the Global Market and the Korean Hub Simultaneously
Combating illegal distribution is far more than an administrative checklist for a webtoon platform. Because digital content can be effortlessly replicated and spread across borders, piracy strikes directly at creator revenue and the inherent value of intellectual property. Kim Kyu-nam has a strong track record of mobilizing governments and relevant organizations worldwide to tackle this issue. Moving forward, he will also focus on deepening communication with creators, partners, and institutions within Korea.
While webtoons originated as a localized digital comic format in South Korea, the medium has exploded into a massive IP industry connecting creators, readers, and film or gaming studios across the globe. Naturally, user preferences, platform habits, and content environments vary wildly from country to country. This evolution explains the growing urgency to balance a unified global standard with tailored decisions that resonate with local creators and audiences.
Naver Webtoon’s “localized growth strategy” signals a deliberate shift away from a one-size-fits-all playbook, aiming instead to harness the scale of a global platform while respecting the nuances of individual markets. The new dynamic is clear: CEO Kim Jun-koo handles global expansion and long-term vision, Co-CEO Kim Yong-soo connects HQ strategy with Korean execution, and Co-CEO Kim Kyu-nam nurtures the domestic creator ecosystem. Ultimately, the success of this co-CEO structure will hinge on how cohesively and swiftly these three roles can operate in tandem.
Source: Naver Webtoon press release & Yonhap News, October 1, 2026.
