Korean Dictionary
How to say "CEO" in Korean
“CEO” in Korean is 최고경영자 (pronounced "choego gyeongnyeongja").
최고경영자
choego gyeongnyeongja
Usage & Context
The highest-ranking executive in a company. CEOs in Korea are responsible for overall strategy and performance. They report to the board of directors.
Example Sentence
CEO가 회사의 비전을 제시했습니다.
The CEO presented the company vision.
How to use 최고경영자 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “CEO” is 최고경영자, romanized as choego gyeongnyeongja.
Usage tip
Business Korean usually needs polite or formal endings, especially in emails, meetings, and customer situations.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 최고경영자.
Pronunciation Guide
"Choe-go" sounds like 'chway-go' (chway as in 'choir' without the 'r', go as in 'go'). "Gyeong-nyeong-ja" is 'gyung-nyung-jah' (gyung like 'young' with a 'g' sound, nyung like 'nung' in 'lung', jah like 'jaw' without the 'w'). The stress is on the first syllable of each word, "choe" and "gyeong".
More Example Sentences
Discussing a recent change in company leadership.
새로운 CEO가 회사의 혁신을 이끌고 있습니다.
The new CEO is leading the company's innovation.
Reflecting on the impact of a CEO's address to staff.
CEO의 연설은 직원들에게 큰 동기 부여가 되었습니다.
The CEO's speech was a great motivation for the employees.
Describing a CEO's approach to internal communication.
우리 회사의 최고경영자는 항상 직원들과 소통하려고 노력합니다.
Our company's CEO always tries to communicate with employees.
Cultural Context
While "최고경영자" (choego gyeongnyeongja) is the formal Korean term for CEO, the English acronym "CEO" is overwhelmingly common in everyday Korean business conversation, media, and even official company titles. It's rare to hear the full Korean term unless in very formal documents or academic discussions. This reflects the strong influence of global business terminology in Korea, especially in modern corporate environments.
Editorial note
We review business terms like 최고경영자 for formality, so the example fits emails, meetings, or workplace conversations instead of casual speech.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
CEO 선임
Appointing a CEO
CEO 직속
Reporting directly to the CEO
CEO 메시지
CEO's message
Related Expressions
사장
sajang
President, Company Owner (often used for CEO in smaller companies)
대표이사
daepyoisa
Representative Director (often the legal title for CEO)
임원
imwon
Executive, Officer
회장
hoejang
Chairman (often the highest-ranking person, above CEO, especially in chaebols)
More Business Words
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