Partnership with Chung-Ang University alumni will expand trade, investment and business cooperation among South Korea, the United States and Israel
FORT LEE, N.J. — The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce has signed a landmark economic and trade cooperation agreement with the alumni association of Chung-Ang University, one of South Korea’s prominent private universities and the institution that educated some of the country’s most influential government, financial, corporate and cultural leaders.
Its alumni include South Korean President Lee Jae Myung; Park Sang-jin, Chairman and CEO of the government-owned Korea Development Bank; Shin Hyun-kook, semiconductor entrepreneur and Chairman of GEO Element; Boo-Seop Kim, President of Hyundai Hospital; and the late Auh June-sun, longtime Chairman and CEO of Ahngook Pharmaceutical and former president of the Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
Chung-Ang’s influence also extends around the world through alumni including Emmy Award-winning “Squid Game” actor Lee Jung-jae, actor Hyun Bin and actress Park Shin-hye.
The scale of the network is equally significant. Chung-Ang’s alumni association has cited approximately 280,000 graduates, and the university previously reported that 40 of its alumni were serving as CEOs among Korea’s 1,000 largest publicly listed companies by sales. Chung-Ang alumni have led businesses across banking, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, healthcare, manufacturing, technology and media.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on August 7, 2026, during the Korea-U.S. Economic and Trade Cooperation MOU Signing Ceremony at the DoubleTree by Hilton Fort Lee–George Washington Bridge in New Jersey.
The agreement creates a formal platform for trade, investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, professional exchange and assistance for Korean companies seeking to enter or expand in the American market. Through the Orthodox Jewish Chamber’s extensive relationships in Israel, the partnership will also explore opportunities connecting Korean businesses with Israel’s technology, healthcare, financial and innovation sectors.
Duvi Honig, Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, participated live by Zoom and addressed the Korean delegation. James Sungjin Kim, the Chamber’s Korea Affairs Chair, represented OJC at the ceremony and signed the agreement on its behalf.
Representing Chung-Ang University’s alumni leadership were Boo-Seop Kim, President of the Chung-Ang University Alumni Association, and Wonchul Choi, President of the North America Chung-Ang University Alumni Association.
The ceremony was held during a U.S. visit by senior Chung-Ang alumni leaders and was coordinated by the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of the Northeast.
“This is much more than a ceremonial agreement,” Honig said. “We are connecting one of South Korea’s most powerful alumni and business networks with real opportunities across the United States and Israel. Our goal is to turn these relationships into trade, investment, market access and meaningful economic growth.”
The Orthodox Jewish Chamber agreement was one of three MOUs signed during the program. Chung-Ang’s alumni leadership also entered partnerships with the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of the Northeast.
Mark Jaffe, President and CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, joined by Zoom. On-site leadership included James Sungjin Kim and Amit Shah, Co-Chairs of International Affairs for the Greater New York Chamber; Kwang Suk Kim, Chairman of the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of the Northeast; and senior members of the Korean delegation.
The program also included a discussion of Empire State Development and potential cooperation between Korean companies and New York State.
The new OJC partnership is expected to support business delegations, executive introductions, American market-entry assistance, investment opportunities and cooperation in finance, healthcare, infrastructure, technology, education and government relations.
The agreement advances the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce’s mission of “Uniting the World Via Commerce” by transforming international relationships into practical opportunities for businesses and communities.
