[비즈한국] It has been confirmed that Jung Joon-sun, a professor at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the eldest son of HDC012630 Group Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, has been working as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) and technology advisor for the group affiliate HDC Labs384470 for three years. While there have been previous reports regarding Professor Jung’s advisory role at HDC Labs, this is the first time his specific title as an advisor and the details of his activities have been confirmed.
According to Bizhankook’s reporting, Professor Jung Joon-sun has been serving as an advisor for HDC Labs since January 2024. His role involves providing counsel in the fields of AI and technology, and the two parties have renewed their contract on an annual basis since his initial appointment. This year marks his third year as an HDC Labs advisor. It is reported that Professor Jung receives a standard advisory fee and holds regular meetings with the company's AI research and development staff.
HDC Labs is an AI and Internet of Things (AIoT) platform company within the HDC Group. It operates in sectors including home services, construction solutions, and comprehensive real estate management. Last year, the company expanded its AI and data-driven business by acquiring the brokerage platform and real estate data division of Real Estate R114. Professor Jung’s advisory role aligns with the group's strategy to foster AI as a key pillar for future growth.
Professor Jung Joon-sun is recognized as an expert in AI and machine learning. Born in 1992, he earned his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Oxford in the UK before being appointed as a professor at the KAIST School of Electrical Engineering in 2021. His research has focused on machine learning, speech signal processing, and computer vision. He served as a technical research personnel at Naver’s in-house independent company, Search & Clova, and also has experience developing AI technology with Google DeepMind during his doctoral studies at Oxford.
Professor Jung Joon-sun is also a shareholder of HDC Labs. According to the quarterly report, as of the end of March this year, HDC Labs' shares are held by HDC (39.99%), Chairman Chung Mong-gyu (18.32%), MNQ Investment Partners (3.88%—a private company owned by Chairman Chung), and Professor Jung (0.5%). Professor Jung acquired 130,000 shares of HDC Labs through market purchases starting in January 2024. In the business community, some have interpreted this as a move toward a third-generation succession.
However, Professor Jung Joon-sun is not listed as an executive of HDC Labs. He does not appear in the executive list in HDC Labs' corporate registry or its Q1 2026 quarterly report. Currently, the CEO of HDC Labs is Vice President Lee Joon-hyung, formerly the head of the sales division at Servone. Chairman Chung Mong-gyu is listed as a non-registered executive in his capacity as Chairman.
Until now, Jung Won-sun, an assistant managing director, had been the only third-generation family member active within the HDC Group. Assistant Managing Director Jung, the second son of Chairman Chung Mong-gyu, joined IPARK Hyundai Development Company in December 2024 and currently leads the DXT office, an organization dedicated to digital transformation. The eldest son, Professor Jung Joon-sun, had previously been classified as an academic. His advisory role at HDC Labs is significant as it marks a case where Professor Jung holds an official title and role at a group affiliate based on his expertise in AI.
HDC distanced itself from interpretations that Professor Jung’s advisory activities are related to management participation or succession. An HDC official told Bizhankook, "Professor Jung Joon-sun holds regular meetings with HDC Labs' AI R&D personnel and receives a standard advisory fee appropriate for a national university professor," adding, "Professor Jung is acting as a technology advisor to enhance the technological capabilities of HDC Labs and is not involved in management."