The August 2026 Netizen Awards vote for the "Business Leader Award" in the corporate category is underway amid enthusiastic participation. The vote, which gauges netizens' trust in the leaders driving the South Korean economy, has seen fierce ranking competition among business figures.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong currently holds first place in the "Business Leader Award" category. Chairman Lee is firmly defending his lead with an unrivaled share of votes, maintaining a support rate approaching a majority in August following the first half of the year, once again proving his stature as South Korea's leading business figure.

Hyundai Motor Group Chairman Chung Euisun follows in second place. Chairman Chung is waging a relentless pursuit, and together with Chairman Lee, the two account for a substantial portion of the total votes, forming a solid "two-top" structure.

Competition in the middle and upper ranks is also fierce. Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin and Hotel Shilla President Lee Boo-jin are locked in a tight vote battle in the 3rd-to-6th place range. Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo, CJ Group Chairman Lee Jay-hyun, and Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn are also engaged in an active race for rankings.

Meanwhile, the Netizen Awards is held each month from the 1st through the last day of the month, with results tallied fairly through real-time netizen participation.