SEOUL: KT Corp names Park Yoon-young as its new chief executive officer (CEO), marking a leadership change as the telecom giant moves to stabilise management and accelerate its push into artificial intelligence (AI).
The appointment was confirmed at KT’s 44th annual shareholders meeting at the company’s research and development centre in Seoul.
Park’s nomination secured approval from more than 60% of participating voting shares. His term will run through the 2029 shareholders meeting.
Park, in his first message to employees since taking office, said he would prove himself “through speed and execution, not words or formality”.
“Our responsibility for security, networks and quality has grown heavier than ever,” he said, pledging to position KT as both a national backbone telecom operator and an “AX platform company” leading the AI era. AX refers to AI transformation.
Park said he would first focus on reinforcing the company’s fundamentals. Security governance and operational systems will be tightened, while the information technology (IT), and network infrastructure will undergo a thorough review.
He added that KT will also move ahead with future technologies such as 6G, satellite communications and AI-RAN.
At the same time, the company is seeking growth across both consumer and enterprise segments.
In the business-to-consumer business, KT aims to move beyond traditional telecom services towards AI-driven lifestyle offerings.
In business-to-business (B2B), it plans to expand its B2B AX strategy, focusing on addressing demand across sectors including public services, finance and manufacturing.
At the Tuesday meeting, shareholders approved a series of amendments to the company’s articles of incorporation.
These included renaming outside directors as independent directors, expanding directors’ fiduciary duties, introducing electronic shareholders meetings and adopting the separate election of audit committee members.
KT provided a live online broadcast of the shareholders meeting for preregistered participants.
Beginning with the 2027 annual meeting, the company plans to introduce a full electronic shareholders meeting system, allowing shareholders to participate and exercise voting rights online without being physically present.
Kim Young-shub, who ended his CEO term on Tuesday, said: “We sincerely apologise for the concerns caused by last year’s security breach,” adding that KT will reinforce fundamentals across its network, IT, marketing and customer service operations to rebuild trust.
He also said KT would continue accelerating its transition into an AICT company, pushing for changes across business and technology while prioritising customer trust and sustainable growth.
AICT is a combination of AI, information technology and customer trust, according to the company.
Later in the day, KT carried out a sweeping reshuffle alongside an organisational overhaul, cutting the number of executives by about 30%.
The move is aimed at streamlining the organisation, strengthening agility and promoting talent based on expertise and performance to drive future growth.
The company highlighted “KT professionalism” as its core value.
As part of efforts to navigate ongoing challenges and reinforce internal stability, KT replaced all heads of CEO-level units.
It also pushed through a broad personnel shake-up, elevating younger, performance-driven leaders in key areas such as B2B, AX and AI.
Among the notable appointments, Kim Bong-kyun, born in 1972, was promoted to executive vice-president and will oversee the company’s B2B business.
Ok Kyung-hwa was also promoted to vice-president, becoming the first female executive at KT to reach the position. She will lead the company’s IT technology division. — The Korea Herald/ANN
