Lee Hae-jin Net Worth

Lee Hae-jin has an estimated net worth of $1.4 billion, according to Forbes Real-Time Billionaires, Lee Hae-jin profile (figures as of October 20, 2026). That is up from $1.2 billion in 2018.

Lee Hae-jin is a South Korean technology businessman best known as a cofounder of Naver, the country’s top search engine. He started the company while working at Samsung SDS in the late 1990s, then founded Naver.com in 1999. Over time, he also served as CEO of Naver.com and chairman of NHN Corporation. In 2025, he returned as chairman of Naver to help lead the company’s AI business after years focused on global investment work.

His wealth is tied to the internet business he helped build. Naver grew from search into messaging, payments, and overseas partnerships. A big step came in 2016, when Line, his messaging app, raised $1 billion in a dual listing in New York and Tokyo. In 2021, Naver and SoftBank agreed to a joint venture that took control of Line and Yahoo Japan. Forbes put his net worth at $1.4 billion on its real-time billionaires tracker as of October 20, 2026.

How Lee Hae-jin built his fortune

Lee Hae-jin made his money in technology by helping create Naver and staying closely involved as it expanded. He began the company while at Samsung SDS, then launched Naver.com in 1999. His career at the company included leading roles as CEO and chairman. Even after stepping down from Naver’s board in 2018, he stayed on as global investment officer, with a focus on the company’s expansion outside its core search business.

His fortune also reflects Naver’s push into adjacent internet businesses. In 2016, Line went public and raised $1 billion through listings in New York and Tokyo. In 2021, Naver and SoftBank agreed to a joint venture that brought together control of Line and Yahoo Japan. Another major deal came in November 2025, when Naver said Naver Financial would acquire Dunamu in a stock swap valuing the combined company at $13.6 billion.

How Forbes' estimate has moved

Forbes has shown sizable swings in Lee’s fortune over time. It estimated his wealth at $1.2 billion in 2018, then $1.1 billion in 2020. In 2021, that jumped to $2.5 billion, before easing to $2.1 billion in 2022 and $1.3 billion in 2023. Those moves tracked changes around the value of the internet businesses tied to Naver, along with investor interest in areas such as messaging, payments, and broader technology expansion.

More recently, Forbes estimated Lee at $1.7 billion on its 2026 World's Billionaires list. Its real-time tracker later placed him at $1.4 billion in October 2026. During this stretch, Naver was still making large strategic moves. Lee had returned as chairman in 2025 to push the company’s AI business, and Naver also announced the Dunamu stock-swap deal that year, adding another important piece to the company’s broader digital business portfolio.