[Power K-Women] 20-Year Veteran's "Late-Blooming Studies"... Choi Hyunsoo: "Paper Is Not a Sunset Industry, but One in Transition"

First woman to chair Korea Paper Association in its 73-year history
Also leads KleanNara as CEO
"We need to consider what value we can create from paper"

Choi Hyunsoo, chairman of the Korea Paper Manufacturers Association and CEO of Kleannara, has spent the past 18 months studying with the mindset of a student. A veteran with 20 years in the paper industry, he had led a company focused on household products such as toilet paper and sanitary pads, as well as white board. Corrugated paper base stock (linerboard) and printing paper, however, were not familiar territory. As he examined each member company’s products and businesses, he saw the distinct challenges facing each sector. He has been gathering those challenges, proposing solutions and connecting companies that can work together, serving as a bridge for the industry.

The reality he faces is far from easy. Predictions that paper will soon disappear because of population decline and digitalization are increasingly common, while competition from low-cost Chinese paper products is intensifying. Even so, Choi stressed that the paper industry should be seen not as a “sunset industry,” but as an industry whose value and uses are changing. We spoke with him about the future of South Korea’s paper industry and his approach to leadership.

KleanNara Chairman Choi Hyunsoo is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company’s headquarters on Hannam-daero in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun

-You became the first woman to chair the Korea Paper Manufacturers Association in its 73-year history. What was on your mind when you took office?

▲Being the “first woman chair” is significant in itself, but I felt an even greater responsibility in representing a paper industry with a long history. Today, the industry is facing mounting costs for raw materials and energy, while domestic demand is no longer what it used to be. At the same time, as the shift away from plastic and carbon neutrality become global trends, paper’s environmental benefits are attracting renewed attention. I believe this is the time to do more than weather immediate difficulties; we must prepare for the next 50 years of the paper industry.

If the fact that I am the first woman chair gives younger women the sense that “I can take on this challenge, too,” that alone makes it meaningful. But in the future, I hope to be judged not simply by that milestone, but by what new path the paper industry opened during my time as chair.

-The paper industry is often described as a male-dominated sector. Did you face any particular challenges as a woman?

▲When I first started working, there were far fewer women than there are today, and women leaders were even rarer. There were certainly times when I had to demonstrate my judgment and expertise more fully. But I never regarded that as something inevitable “because I’m a woman.” What matters is not gender, but how well you understand the business and the workplace, the standards you use to make decisions, and how accountable you are for the results.

So I went to the workplace myself, listened carefully to employees and checked the numbers. When it was time to make a decision, I made it clearly and kept following up until the results came through. I believe trust comes not from gender or title, but from capability, judgment and results.

Kleannara Chairman Choi Hyunsoo is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company’s headquarters on Hannam-daero in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun.

-Some people see the paper industry as a declining industry.

▲I disagree. That said, I do not think the paper industry can remain stuck in its old ways. It is true that demand for some products, such as printing paper, is falling due to digitalization and demographic change, but we should not judge the entire industry based on shifts in this market. The paper industry is a key national manufacturing sector, with annual production worth about 27 trillion won and a workforce of 60,000. It sells about 24% of its output overseas, generating annual exports of $2.2 billion.

More important is the role paper will play in the future. Paper is once again attracting attention as an environmentally friendly material that can replace plastic and petrochemical materials, and its recycling rate for recovered paper—89%, among the highest in the world—is a major competitive strength. Its uses are also expanding beyond eco-friendly packaging to materials for advanced industries such as biotechnology and electronics, including cellulose nanofibers and lignin. I believe the paper industry’s future competitiveness will depend not on how much paper it produces, but on what new value it can create with paper.

-How long do you expect it will take for these new materials to become a primary source of revenue rather than a supplementary business?

▲The shift will start with uses we can adopt directly today, such as food containers. With the European Union’s (EU) environmental regulations taking effect next year, the key will be how quickly we can move. The materials industry has a good opportunity to develop higher-margin products. Materials based on wood cellulose are already used in biotechnology and as cosmetic ingredients. If we focus on the right areas for creating added value, we can make progress quickly enough. Just as the steel and chemical industries have lost ground to Chinese companies on price competitiveness, manufacturing centered on volume will face major disruption. As a capital-intensive industry, paper manufacturing will inevitably shift from economies of scale to competition over added value.

Choi Hyunsoo, chairman of Kkaekkeuthannara, poses during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the company's headquarters on Hannam-daero in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun.

-The industry is also accelerating its digital transformation, including the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI). What are your long-term priorities?

▲I see three main areas. The first is the factory. Paper manufacturing is energy-intensive, with energy accounting for about 25% of production costs. AI and data will be used to plan production, identify equipment problems in advance, and manage quality, electricity and steam consumption in real time. The second area is logistics and distribution. We will be able to track finished products in real time, from their transport to their shipment overseas, much like parcel deliveries. The third is the customer. We need to use customer data to find more efficient ways to deliver products. The way we work is also changing. We already have an environment where anyone can use generative AI tools. The key is how quickly we adapt and focus people on work that truly requires them.

-You have been making inroads in overseas markets, particularly in North America. Why did you choose that market?

▲In the past, companies went into countries where they had no established foothold. Now the trend is to seek out markets where they can create added value. At first, many people asked, “How can we export this all the way to the United States?” But when we explored the market, we found unmet demand for hygiene products, and we were able to break in by developing products with local partners. Europe may also seem like a distant market where it is difficult to ship heavy paper products, but I believe tighter environmental regulations starting next year will open the door to exports of eco-friendly, low-carbon products.

What each country requires is truly different. U.S. women’s hygiene products have different size and absorbency standards from ours. In Southeast Asia, consumers have different amounts they can pay at one time, creating demand for small packages, and preferences also vary by religion within the region. Listening carefully to those differences and reflecting them in our products increases the likelihood of success.

Choi Hyunsoo, chairman of KleanNara, poses during an interview with The Asia Business Daily at the company's headquarters on Hannam-daero in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Cho Yongjun.

-You recently returned to the position of CEO at Kleannara. How do the roles of chair of the Korea Paper Manufacturers Association and CEO of Kleannara differ?

▲The roles and responsibilities are quite different. At Kleannara, I am responsible for delivering results in measurable terms, so I push the company to perform. The association, by contrast, is made up of member companies with differing perspectives. It is important to listen carefully, organize the issues, set a direction and serve as a bridge by helping the government and other stakeholders find solutions.

But the principles are the same: see the workplace firsthand, be clear about the standards for making decisions, and follow through on decisions to the end. Listening carefully and putting off decisions are not the same thing. A leader does not need to have all the answers, but the direction and standards must be clear. A leader’s role is to bring people together and take responsibility until decisions translate into results.

-Is there a book you would recommend to aspiring women leaders?

▲I’ve been enjoying The Fake Work by Dennis Nørmark. The title sounds a little provocative, but it doesn’t mean not working. It describes a situation where everyone is working hard, but it is unclear what value their work creates. An organization is not a good one just because it has lots of meetings and reports or people work late. So these days, I care more about “Is this work really necessary?” than “How hard did we work?” A good organization is not one that is always busy, but one that focuses on important work.

-As a senior woman leader, what would you like to say to younger women?

▲I hope you don’t set limits on your own potential before you even try. Don’t draw a line by saying, “I can only go this far because I’m a woman,” or “Can I really do this?” I wasn’t fully prepared from the start, either. I learned by taking on challenges and sometimes failing. Opportunities don’t come only when you are perfectly prepared. You can fill in what you lack as you work.

Regardless of gender, responding to a changing market means continuing to learn, asking questions when you don’t know something and developing yourself. It is also important to learn and move forward together rather than alone. I hope the day comes when so many women are naturally leading companies and industries that being called the “first woman” is no longer unusual.

Chairman Choi Hyunsoo of KleanNara is being interviewed by The Asia Business Daily at the company’s headquarters on Hannam-daero in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yongjun

▶Choi Hyunsoo, Chairman and CEO of Kleannara

He studied psychology at Boston University in the United States and gained experience in marketing and the household products business before being appointed CEO of Kleannara in 2019. He currently serves as chairman and CEO, overseeing the company’s business, finance and accounting, and procurement divisions, while leading efforts to secure new growth drivers and build a foundation for sustainable growth.
In 2025, he was appointed the first woman chair of the Korea Paper Manufacturers Association and has worked to promote the paper industry’s sustainable growth through the development of eco-friendly, high-value-added materials, AI-based manufacturing innovation and stronger export competitiveness. At Kleannara, he received a Presidential Commendation at the 53rd Commercial and Industrial Day Commemoration Ceremony in recognition of his contributions to building a foundation for sustainable growth by advancing customer-centered management, environmental initiatives and resource circulation, and digital transformation.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.