Lee Hae-jin, chairman of the board of directors at Naver Corp., recorded the highest increase in valuation gains this year among stock-rich businesspeople in Korea, according to data released Monday.

Lee saw the value of his shares in two companies including Naver soar 675 billion won ($63.6 million), or 133 percent, from 507.4 billion won recorded at the end of December last year to 1.2 trillion won as of Thursday, according to FnGuide, a market research firm.

The combined value of stock shares held by Lee Jun-ho, chairman of online game company NHN Entertainment, surged 544 billion won, or 133 percent, to 952 billion won.

The increases in stock value are attributed to the rapid growth of Naver’s mobile messenger LINE in global markets and its anticipated initial public offerings, as well as the success of the recent restructuring of NHN Corp., later renamed Naver, in August, in which NHN Entertainment and Naver demerged.

Naver Corp, which runs Web-portal Naver and LINE, and NHN Entertainment were relisted in the Korean bourse.

“Advertisement revenue for LINE will likely see considerable growth down the road, backed by the increase of global subscribers,” said Lee Chang-young, an analyst from Tongyang Securities Inc.

The two chairmen also stood out on the list of Korea’s richest stock-rich tycoons, as Naver chairman Lee jumped from 29th to 15th, and NHN Entertainment chief Lee from 37th to 16th.

Chey Tae-won, CEO of SK Corp., came in third in stock gains, with the value of his holdings increasing 504 billion won. He was followed by KCC chairman Jung Mong-jin, who enjoyed 305 billion won in gains, and Cho Yang-rai, chairman of Hankook Tire Co., 272 billion won.

This year’s ranking of the top 10 stock-rich businesspeople showed little change, with Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Kun-hee in the lead.

Lee Myung-hee, chairwoman of Shinsegae Group, snatched ninth place from Hong Ra-hee, who is director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, and the wife of chairman Lee Kun-hee.

By Kim Young-won
(wone0102@heraldcorp.com)