Photo from the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction golf team founding ceremony (from left: Park Ji-young, Jo A-yeon, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction CEO Song Gyeong-han, Hong Jeong-min and Kim Min-seo). [Provided by HJ Shipbuilding & Construction]
Photo from the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction golf team founding ceremony (from left: Park Ji-young, Jo A-yeon, HJ Shipbuilding & Construction CEO Song Gyeong-han, Hong Jeong-min and Kim Min-seo). [Provided by HJ Shipbuilding & Construction]

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction has launched a golf team composed of Korea Ladies Professional Golf Association players, marking its entry into sports marketing. The company acquired the former Korea Real Estate Investment & Trust golf team and rebranded it as the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction golf team, with players set to compete in domestic and international tournaments under the company's logo starting in the second half of the season.

The company held a founding ceremony for the team at its Namyeong-dong headquarters in Seoul on Friday and announced Monday that full operations are now underway.

The five-member roster includes KLPGA Tour players Park Ji-young, Hong Jeong-min and Jo A-yeon, second-tour player Kim Min-seo, and high school prospect Park Seo-jin. The players are scheduled to compete in major domestic and international events bearing the HJ Shipbuilding & Construction logo, beginning with the Aurora World Championship, the team's first tournament of the second half.

The company began acquiring the Korea Real Estate Investment & Trust golf team earlier this year to support the development of domestic professional sports and enhance its brand value. It views the acquisition as a strategic investment that doubles as a corporate image-building and ESG initiative.

Among the founding members, Park Ji-young has recorded 10 career wins on the KLPGA Tour. A former national team reserve, she joined the KLPGA in 2014 and has competed consistently since, earning a place in the tour's "10-win club."

Hong Jeong-min has been one of the tour's top players since joining in 2020. Last year she achieved her best career results, claiming her first major title among multiple wins and finishing atop the season's prize-money rankings.

Jo A-yeon, the youngest player ever selected for the national team, debuted on the KLPGA Tour in 2019. She won twice in her debut season and was named Rookie of the Year.

HJ Shipbuilding & Construction plans to use the golf team not merely as a sponsorship vehicle but as a platform for expanding customer engagement. The company intends to support players' performance and long-term development while broadening its brand reach through pro-am events, fan participation programs and community outreach activities.

"We are drawing up a vision in which the company, the players, our customers and local communities grow together through the golf team," a company official said. "Going forward, we will organically connect sports marketing, ESG activities and community contribution programs to build both the brand value and social value that are uniquely HJ Shipbuilding & Construction's."


quq@heraldcorp.com