Dong-A Socio Group Honorary Chairman Kang Shin-ho died on Oct. 3, 2023. He was 96 years old.
Honorary Chairman Kang was born in Sangju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, as the first son of the late Dong-A Socio Group founder-father Kang Jung-hee.
He graduated from Seoul National University Medical College and obtained a doctorate degree from University of Freiburg in Germany. It was in 1959 that Kang entered Dong-A Pharmaceutical.
He had headed the group for about 42 years until stepping down from management in 2017.
He was evaluated to have catapulted Dong-A Pharmaceutical, which logged 14.5 billion won in 1975, into a modern global healthcare group.
The late Kang had been credited with having made strenuous efforts to improve people’s health by advancing medical care products based on the conviction “there is no greater values than lives.”
He dedicated a modern pharmaceutical production plant, corresponding the Korea Good Manufacturing Practice (KGMP), in Anyang, Gyeonggi-do, in 1980.
In 1985, it was the industry’s first facility to be designated as a Good Manufacturing Practice.
In 1977, Dong-A Pharmaceutical established the industry’s first affiliated research institute, and in 1980, Dong-A Pharmaceutical became the industry’s first company to set up a Korea Good Laboratory Practice facility designed to test the safety of new drugs in Yongin City.
These efforts led to laying a foundation to grow Dong-A Socio Group into a leading new drug developer company.
“Bacchus,” developed by the late honorary chairman, in 1961, has established itself as Korea’s representative fatigue recovery drink, and has also become a hit product in the global market.
Bacchus has helped the company maintain its position as the nation’s No. 1 pharmaceutical company for 47 years, until 2013 when it adopted a holding company regime.
Dong-A Pharmaceutical’s efforts to develop new drugs in the early 1990s paid off, creating Adriamycin-based anticancer drug “DA-125.”
In 1994, DA-125 was designated as the nation’s first clinical testing medical product by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Dong-A Socio has produced homegrown new drugs, such as drug Zydena, the nation’s first and the world’s fourth erection dysfunction drug, super antibiotic drug Sivextro and diabetes drug Sugano.
An image of the mainstay pharmaceutical products, released by Dong-A Pharmaceutical. (Photos: Dong-A Socio Group)
The late Kang had attached top company priority at gifted manpower development.
In 1959, Dong-A Pharmaceutical hired company officials in its first public contest.
In 1980, the company established the nation’s first manpower development institute in Yongin City and institutionalized education on company officials.
Honorary Chairman Kang had stressed a commitment to social responsibility. It was Chmn. Kang’s order that Dong-A Pharmaceutical Group changed its name to Dong-A Socio, meaning “social” to emphasize social responsibility.
In 1987, Kang contributed his assets to establish a culture foundation, named “Suseok Culture Foundation”.
He gave scholarships, offering life-long education and educational welfare projects. Scholarship beneficiaries of Suseok Culture Foundation stand at more than 1,900.
The late Kang became the pharmaceutical industry’s first manager to serve as chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI).
He also served as chairman of Korea Industrial Technology Association, contributing to promoting the government to make policies of offering technology support.
In recognition of such efforts, Kang was honored with the most coveted order of the science and technology, dubbed “Changjo Medal.”
He was bereaved by his sons, Kang Jeong-suk, Kang Moon-suk and Kang Woo-suk as well as daughters, Kang In-kyung, Kang Young-rok and Kang Yoon-gyung.
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