Editor’s Note
This article highlights a significant achievement for South Korea’s jewelry sector. Oh Hyo-geun, CEO of Geumbuchia Co., Ltd., has been honored with the 2025 Presidential Award for Exemplary Small Business Owners. This rare presidential recognition underscores his four decades of work in technological innovation, nurturing talent, and building industrial foundations.
Oh Hyo-geun, CEO of Geumbuchia Co., Ltd. (Master Craftsman of Precious Metals No. 542, Republic of Korea), has been awarded the ‘2025 Presidential Award for Exemplary Small Business Owners’. Mr. Oh received this honor in recognition of his contributions over 40 years to technological innovation, talent development, and the establishment of an industrial foundation in South Korea’s jewelry industry. It is particularly rare for a presidential award to be given in the jewelry field, making this award a milestone that further elevates the status of the K-Jewelry industry.
After entering the precious metal craftsmanship field in the early 1980s, Oh Hyo-geun elevated the quality standards of domestic jewelry manufacturing with his precision craftsmanship and artisan spirit. He founded Geumbuchia in 2003 and established a systematic manufacturing system by converting it into a corporation in 2010. The company is now a trusted manufacturing partner for major domestic jewelry brands. He pioneered the introduction of a ‘Smart Jewelry Manufacturing System’ in Korea, integrating advanced technologies such as CAD-based digital design, 3D printing, and precision casting. This is credited with providing a decisive turning point for the precious metals industry, which was centered on small workshops, to grow into an advanced manufacturing industry.
As Chairman of the Korea Jewelry Industry Promotion Foundation, he has led the operation of the ‘Seoul Jewelry Support Center’, contributing to strengthening the technological competitiveness of small jewelry businesses, supporting youth entrepreneurship and employment, and advancing the industrial ecosystem. Furthermore, as President of the Korea Jewelry Industry Association Federation, he continues various activities to revitalize the industry, such as hosting the ‘K-Jewelry Jongno Festival’ and publishing educational materials to combat counterfeit trademarks.
As a Master Craftsman of Korea, he also devotes effort to nurturing successors. Master Oh mentors young craftsmen, imparting artisan skills and philosophy through industry-academia technical education and on-site training programs. Under the belief that “technology is not an individual’s possession but a social asset,” he is laying the groundwork for the sustainable growth of the jewelry industry.
The award ceremony was held on October 31, 2025, at the ‘2025 Korea Small Business Owners Convention’ at KINTEX in Goyang. Han Sung-sook, Minister of SMEs and Startups, presented the award on behalf of President Lee Jae-myung. Geumbuchia has previously been selected as a ‘Centennial Small Business’, a ‘Hi Seoul Enterprise’, and an ‘Inno-Biz’ certified company. With this Presidential Award, Master Craftsman Oh Hyo-geun has further solidified his status as a representative master craftsman of Korea leading the globalization of K-Jewelry.