"Kakao's Kim Beom-su Donates 5 Trillion Won, Says 'Role Model is Bill Gates' (Comprehensive)"

[Asia Economy Reporter Bu Aeri] Kim Beom-su, chairman of the Kakao board, who announced that he would donate more than half of his wealth (approximately 5 trillion won), said he considers Microsoft (MS) founder Bill Gates as his role model.

Kim Beom-su: "Benchmarking Bill Gates"

On the afternoon of the 25th, Chairman Kim held a ‘Brian After Talk’ with Kakao employees and discussed matters related to donations. This event was organized to gather internal ideas regarding his plan to donate his wealth.

Kim said, "Bill Gates is a role model for solving social issues and governance," adding, "Seeing the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation made me think, 'So companies can do that,' and I started benchmarking it."

He continued, "In American society, IT companies have made pledges to donate as a cultural norm," and said, "I thought about whether Korea could reach an environment where this could spread as well. The 'creative capitalism' that Bill Gates emphasized might also be applicable to problems we can solve."

Regarding the method of donation, Kim stated, "I want to use it immediately where it is needed," and added, "I want to structure it so that a few hundred billion won can be spent annually. It would be great if we could solve some social problems by investing large-scale capital."

He also expressed his intention to nurture AI talent. Kim said, "I am interested in people who have not had opportunities due to digital education gaps and AI talents," and explained, "I am also considering an AI campus for talent development."

Kim expressed his view that "the more startups, the better," and said, "Support structures must continue to emerge. It would be good if within Kakao or among Kakao’s next generation, there is a structure that allows them to quickly manage startups. I hope startups become an option for career paths."

On Kakao’s Personnel Evaluation Conflict: "A Warning Sign for Corporate Culture"

Chairman Kim also spoke for the first time about the recent controversy over the personnel evaluation system. He raised his voice, saying, "There should be no acts of ignoring or bullying anyone within the company."

Kim said, "This issue is a warning sign that the internal corporate culture alarm has grown," emphasizing, "We must be very careful not to harm or hurt anyone in the workplace."

The controversy arose after a ‘suicide note’ was revealed in which a Kakao employee complained about workplace bullying. Some employees also raised issues regarding Kakao’s personnel evaluation item stating ‘I don’t want to work with you.’

Kim emphasized, "We are perfectly imperfect beings, but how we respond and apologize when we make mistakes reveals the company’s culture," adding, "I hope we create a mature and admirable culture."

He continued, "I want the Kakao community to become a healthy organization," and added, "Conflicts and clashes can naturally occur, but what matters is how well recovery happens. It would be good if people look around and comfort each other well."

Regarding rewards such as bonuses, Kim said, "I believe the best talent should receive the best treatment," and added, "If compensation is lower than competitors, it should be improved quickly. Although we may not be able to balance it now, we will adjust it from a long-term perspective."

Meanwhile, Kakao plans to hold an additional internal meeting on the 2nd of next month to discuss the personnel evaluation system and related matters.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.