Exclusive: SK Chairman’s son exits energy unit to explore startup path

Chey In-keun, the 30-year-old son of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won and Art Center Nabi Director Roh Soh-yeong, has taken a leave of absence from SK E&S, the conglomerate’s energy affiliate, to prepare for a startup venture, according to people familiar with the matter.

His departure leaves his older sister, Chey Yoon-chung, as the only one of the couple’s three children still working within the SK empire.

A graduate of Brown University, In-keun joined SK E&S in 2020 after completing an internship at Boston Consulting Group. He initially worked in strategic planning at the company’s Seoul headquarters before relocating in late 2022 to Passkey, SK E&S’s North American investment arm.

Chey Tae-won (right), chairman of SK Group, walks with his arm around his son, Chey In-keun, outside a restaurant in Seoul’s Gangnam District in June 2024./Online community

Sources say In-keun is now splitting his time between the U.S. and South Korea as he explores potential ventures—following a similar path to his older sister Chey Min-jeong. A former naval officer, Min-jeong left SK hynix’s Washington, D.C. office in 2019 to found a healthcare startup focused on artificial intelligence.

Observers suggest In-keun’s decision may have been influenced by his mother, with whom he remains especially close. All three children reportedly supported Roh during her high-profile divorce proceedings with Chairman Chey, but In-keun—the youngest and unmarried—has remained the most consistently involved.

Roh has long played an active role in his life. After In-keun was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes, she temporarily relocated to Hawaii for more than two years to be with him while he attended high school there.

His leave has reignited speculation over the future leadership of SK Group. Despite stepping away from the company, In-keun maintains a strong relationship with his father. The two have been seen dining together in Seoul and playing tennis, and in November 2024, he appeared alongside Chairman Chey and his sister Yoon-chung at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies.

Passkey, where In-keun most recently worked, was tasked with identifying investment opportunities in the North American energy solutions market. It has yet to produce major results. Amid a broader integration of SK Innovation and SK E&S, the U.S. unit is expected to undergo restructuring. Senior vice chairs including Chey Jae-won and SK On’s Yu Jeong-joon have assumed more prominent roles, suggesting that North America will remain a central focus of the group’s long-term strategy.

[Kwon Yoo-jeong]

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