Excellent readinggives you an idea at how huge South Korea`s corporate empires have become and how they operate and then there`s SIO.
A bit long but worthwhile reading.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/south-koreas-chaebol-problem/article24116084/
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THE BIG FIVE
The chaebol are conglomerates that dominate South Korea’s economy. They are responsible for the prosperous East Asian nation’s remarkable development since the 1960s – and South Korea’s current economic success – but there is constant hand-wringing about their enormous power and influence in society. The largest chaebol have dozens of affiliate companies that span various often completely unrelated industries.
Samsung Group
Samsung is the largest South Korean chaebol by far, with nearly 500,000 employees, total assets of around $530-billion (U.S.) and total group net sales of about $305-billion in 2013, according to its annual report. It is most well known for its Samsung Electronics unit, which is not only the largest mobile phone maker in the world but churns out fridges, air conditioning units, TVs, laptops, semiconductor and memory chips, and a host of other components it sells to other phone makers. The group also has hotel assets, a heavy industries division that makes ships and oil platforms, a chemicals arm and a global ad agency, as well as insurance and financial services units.
Hyundai
The Hyundai chaebol, which also owns Kia, builds much more than cars. Hyundai Heavy Industries is the world’s largest shipbuilder – with a shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, that stretches over four kilometres of coastline – and has expanded into construction for offshore oil and gas projects around the world. Hyundai Rotem, another division, builds everything from advanced train rolling stock to K2 tanks for the South Korean army.
SK
SK Group is best known for SK Telecom, but it has around 79,000 employees stretching across 80 affiliate companies that operate in the global energy sector, as well as chemicals, finance, shipping, insurance and construction.
LG
Originally known as Lucky-Gold Star, LG began as a chemicals and plastics company but expanded into electronics – making TVs and smartphones. In 2014, LG Electronics had global sales of nearly $56-billion (U.S.).
Hanwha
One of South Korea’s largest chaebol, Hanwha has 52 domestic affiliates and 126 international ones that span manufacturing, construction, energy, chemicals and finance. It is the world’s largest producer of photovoltaics (with operations in Canada) and recently won an $8-billion (U.S.) contract to build an entire city in Bismayah, Iraq.
Iain Marlow