Korean franchisee Shinsegae Food finished 2012 by appointing a new CEO and opening its seventh Johnny Rockets restaurant in 22 months.

In December, Sung-Hwan Kim became CEO of Shinsegae Food, a subsidiary of Shinsegae Group – owner and operator of department and discount stores throughout Korea, as well as a major provider of food services, materials and distribution.

Ten days after coming on board, Kim opened the company’s seventh Johnny Rockets restaurant in South Korea at Shinsegae Incheon. The 572 sqft location reflects the all-American brand’s contemporary-yet-timeless design prototype introduced last May and is close to the food court and bus station, offering ready-to-go convenience and additional seating for travellers to Korea’s third largest city.

“When we first contemplated opening restaurants in the Republic of Korea, we knew that to be successful, we’d need a development partner with an established, highly respected presence in the area that truly understood Korea’s unique culture and business landscape,” said Johnny Rockets president Steve Devine.

“By opening seven restaurants in less than two years – two more locations that originally planned – Shinsegae Food has clearly demonstrated that they were the right choice for our entry into this critical international marketplace,” added Devine.

The other six Johnny Rockets restaurants in South Korea are located at Gangnam Station , Yeoju Simon Outlets, Shinsegae’s flagship store in Myeong-dong, Paju Simon Outlets, Shinsegae Gangnam and Shinsegae Gyeonggi .

GB