KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo: "Accelerating Digico Growth with Partners"... Expanding the Digital Ecosystem

‘2022 KT Partners Day’ Held

[Asia Economy Reporter Oh Su-yeon] KT announced on the 27th that it held the ‘KT Partner’s Day’ at Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun.

The KT Partner’s Day event, held face-to-face for the first time in three years since the COVID-19 pandemic, was attended by KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo, Kang Guk-hyun, Head of Customer Division (President), Park Jong-wook, Head of Management Planning Division (President), Yoon Kyung-rim, Head of Group Transformation Division (President), along with Oh Young-gyo, Chairman of the Win-Win Growth Committee, and about 100 key guests including executives and employees of major partner companies.

KT CEO Koo Hyun-mo said, “As digital transformation accelerates, KT cannot do everything alone, and I believe the role and support of our partner companies are the most important parts,” adding, “We will expand the scope of cooperation to more industrial sectors in the future,” and “Together with our partners, we will strengthen the telco (telecommunications company) foundation and build digital platform company (Digico) businesses on top of it to expand the market and accelerate growth.”

Oh Young-gyo, Chairman of the Win-Win Growth Committee, stated, “Through KT’s win-win growth policy, we hope to overcome the economic recession caused by slowing growth and export sluggishness together, and accelerate growth in the Digico sector through mutual cooperation with partner companies.”

Started in 2014 and marking its 9th year this year, ‘KT Partner’s Day’ is held to share business directions with partner companies, encourage them through awards, and strengthen cooperation.

At the event, KT shared its transformation into a digital platform company since the 2020 Digico KT declaration and emphasized its commitment to creating a better digital world together with its partners. KT outlined four major aspects of its transformation into Digico KT.

First, it actively communicated with internal and external stakeholders to share Digico strategies and achievements. It communicated strategies through CEO thought-sharing sessions for internal employees and strengthened communication with the media, customers, and shareholders through various online and offline channels.

Second, it secured core competencies in technology, talent, and infrastructure to establish a solid growth foundation as a Digico. It acquired and expanded the application of Digico-based technologies such as AI Contact Center (AICC), super-large AI, and big data (CU2.0), and actively promoted AI talent development both inside and outside the company through the AI talent education program ‘AIVLE School’ and the development of Korea’s first AI certification exam, AICE. Additionally, it continues to invest over 530 billion KRW in ICT infrastructure, the foundation of the telecommunications industry. KT also shared plans to expand investment in digital infrastructure such as Internet Data Centers (IDC) to over 1 trillion KRW by 2025.

Third, KT rapidly restructured the core growth business to efficiently execute the Digico strategy. It completed the group’s media and content business value chain through the establishment of KT Studio Genie and the acquisition of Millie’s Library, strengthened leadership in the digital infrastructure market through the establishment of KT Cloud, and redefined IT and financial governance centered on a strategic control tower.

Fourth, KT strengthened partnerships and alliances with leading companies and startups in core areas. It aims to expand the win-win growth ecosystem by exchanging shares with leading companies in financial DX, mobility, and content sectors, and nurturing key startups in future growth business areas such as robotics.

The ‘Partner Award,’ prepared to express gratitude to companies that achieved excellent results through cooperation with KT, was also held. A total of 33 partner companies were awarded across Digico, Transformation, and Telco sectors.

In the Digico sector, 14 companies including Doyeon Systems, which contributed to winning the AICC financial market contract with Shinhan Life, were honored. In the Transformation sector, three companies including Gaon Media, which succeeded in Digico transformation through indoor delivery robot business, received awards. In the Telco sector, six companies including Jeonghwa Telecom, which minimized customer inconvenience through rapid on-site support during the Samcheok (Uljin) wildfire, were recognized.

Additionally, four outstanding startups such as Table Manager, which launched the ‘Automated Restaurant Phone Reservation Service’ linked with KT AICC call assistant, and six top group partners including Ace Story, co-producer of the drama ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo,’ received special awards.

A business agreement to create jobs and support ventures and startups was also signed. KT will cooperate with the Korea Information and Communication Contractors Association Safety Technology Institute and ICT Polytechnic University to train safe construction personnel and create jobs, and with the Korea Technology Finance Corporation to discover and support excellent small and medium-sized startups.

In the partner cooperation case presentation contributing to Digico achievements, the collaboration success of AICC business partner ‘Doyeon Systems’ was introduced, highlighting their prompt technical support and cost reduction efforts that enabled KT to secure the financial sector AICC market.

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