Chung Yong-jin set to return as E-mart CEO amid Shinsegae split

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin is expected to return as E-mart's CEO in the conglomerate's regular executive reshuffle on Friday. The personnel changes are also expected to establish an independent management structure in line with the planned separation of the E-mart and department store units.

The most closely watched item in the Shinsegae executive appointments, due out Friday morning, is Chung's return as a registered director of E-mart. In June, Chung said he intended to take responsibility before the board and shareholders as CEO of both E-mart and Shinsegae Property after stepping in to manage the fallout from the Starbucks "Tank Day" incident.

E-mart is expected to designate Chung as a co-representative director in this round of appointments, with his formal election to follow at next year's shareholder meeting. At Shinsegae Property, he already took office as CEO in June and has been leading major new ventures including an AI data center project and Starfield Cheongna.

The group's central management strategy office is also drawing attention. Shinsegae Group announced in April that it would reorganize the office to focus on identifying future growth engines and driving innovation. However, the head of the office position has remained vacant since Im Young-rok was relieved of his concurrent roles as head of the management strategy office and CEO of Shinsegae Property.

While a significant number of executives born in the 1960s are expected to be replaced in the E-mart unit, the department store unit led by Shinsegae Co. Chairman Chung Yu-kyung is expected to see relatively quiet personnel changes. Park Ju-hyung, CEO of Shinsegae Co., is widely expected to be retained, as the department store business has been performing well and securing a stable foundation for key projects is considered a priority.