Youngone Holdings009970.KS
About Youngone Holdings
Youngone Holdings is the listed holding company at the top of the Youngone group, an apparel manufacturing enterprise built by founder Sung Kihak. Its principal asset is a controlling stake in Youngone Corporation, the group's outdoor and sportswear OEM arm, and it also holds an interest in Scott, the Swiss-based maker of bicycles and sporting goods in which the group invested. Income arrives mainly as dividends from subsidiaries and equity-method earnings, supplemented by brand and management fees. The structure separates family control at the apex from the manufacturing operations carried out below.
The stock is followed mostly as a discounted route into Youngone Corporation, and the gap between the holding company's market value and the worth of its underlying stakes is the central structural question. Because earnings flow up as dividends and equity-method income, subsidiary payout policies matter more here than at a typical operator. The Scott investment adds exposure to European bicycle and outdoor markets, a different cycle from apparel OEM. Family control concentrated at the holding level frames the customary Korean governance considerations around succession and minority-shareholder alignment.
Youngone Holdings is the legal successor of the original Youngone company established by Sung Kihak in 1974. When the group adopted a holding structure in 2009, the historic entity kept its listing and took the holdings name, while manufacturing was carved out into the separately listed Youngone Corporation. The parent subsequently broadened its portfolio, taking control of Scott Sports, the Swiss bicycle and wintersports maker, in 2015, and overseeing Youngone Outdoor, the domestic affiliate that runs The North Face business in Korea. The arrangement keeps family control, strategic investments, and brand interests concentrated at the apex of the group.
As a holding company, it earns money without making products itself. Dividends flow up from Youngone Corporation's manufacturing profits, while domestic retail earnings arrive through Youngone Outdoor's brand business, giving the parent both export-manufacturing and Korean-consumer exposure in a single entity. The Scott stake ties results to European demand for bicycles and winter equipment. Management's main levers are capital allocation, deciding how subsidiary cash is reinvested across factories, brands, and new ventures, and setting group direction. Its competitive standing therefore mirrors that of its operating companies rather than reflecting any market position of its own.
Company profile by LineVest editorial. Journalism, not investment advice.
Youngone Holdings coverage
LineVest covered Korean listings through July 2026. This page is kept as an archive; current coverage is the U.S. market.
Browse the latest reports →Frequently asked questions
What does Youngone Holdings do?
Youngone Holdings is the parent company of the Youngone group. It controls Youngone Corporation, a major contract manufacturer of outdoor apparel, holds Scott Sports of Switzerland, and oversees Youngone Outdoor, which operates The North Face brand in Korea. Its income comes mainly from subsidiary dividends and investments.
Who controls Youngone Holdings?
Founder and chairman Sung Kihak and his family control Youngone Holdings directly, and through it the wider group. The 2009 reorganization concentrated the family's ownership at this level, and family members serve in senior roles across the holding company and its operating subsidiaries.
How can foreign investors get exposure to Youngone Holdings?
Youngone Holdings shares are listed on the Korea Exchange's KOSPI market under ticker 009970 and can be purchased through brokerages offering Korean equities. The company is also held within Korea-focused index products. Investors comparing entry points often weigh it against the separately listed Youngone Corporation.
Answers are editorial summaries for general information, not investment advice.
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