"Feeling a Heavy Responsibility" KT CEO Candidate Yoon Kyung-rim... Will Direct Confrontation Work? (Comprehensive)

KT Board of Directors Unanimously Selects President Yoon Kyung-rim
The Most Suitable Candidate for KT CEO Position
Challenging Path Expected Until Official Appointment After Shareholders' Meeting Approval

"I feel a heavy responsibility."

Yoon Kyung-rim, Head of KT Group Transformation Division (President, 60, photo), has been selected as the next CEO of KT. Attention is focused on whether she can overcome opposition from the ruling party and pass the regular shareholders' meeting scheduled for the end of this month.

"Innovate past practices and participate in government policies"

On the 7th, the KT board of directors announced that it had unanimously agreed to nominate President Yoon Kyung-rim as the next CEO candidate and resolved to recommend her at the regular shareholders' meeting. In her statement that day, Yoon said, "I fully understand the concerns of the government and shareholders," adding, "As a candidate, I will actively communicate and align with them before the shareholders' meeting." She expressed her determination to boldly innovate issues related to ownership-dispersed corporate governance and problems caused by past practices, and to actively participate in government policies. She said, "Since the stable operation of networks and digital infrastructure is directly connected to the daily lives of the people, I will ensure there is no disruption even for a moment," and added, "I will do my best to prepare so that the business and organization can settle early and enhance shareholder value."

The right person to lead a digital platform company

The KT board judged that Yoon Kyung-rim is the most suitable person for the position of KT CEO. During the interview, Yoon presented a future vision for KT to grow into a global digital platform company based on her expertise in digital transformation amid changing market environments. Chairman Kang Chung-gu explained, "Yoon Kyung-rim excels in developing new growth businesses and partnerships through open innovation and is seen as capable of leading innovation toward becoming an AI company."

On the same day, four candidates?former KT Corporate Division Head Park Yoon-young (President), Yoon Kyung-rim, KT Enterprise Division Head Shin Soo-jung (Vice President), and former KT Mass General Manager Lim Heon-moon (President)?underwent in-depth interviews. The board focused on evaluating candidates based on their digital transformation (DX) capabilities to establish a sustainable growth foundation, pursuit of change and innovation, enhancement of corporate value, and strengthening of ESG management.

Regarding concerns raised by the government and the National Assembly about ownership-dispersed corporate governance issues, the board plans to review the current status of the CEO appointment process and internal candidate development through external consulting and prepare objective measures.

Who is Yoon Kyung-rim?

Born in 1963, Yoon Kyung-rim graduated from Seoul National University with a degree in Business Administration and earned a master's degree in Management Science and a Ph.D. in Economics from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). She joined KT in 2006 and served as Head of New Business Promotion Division (Senior Manager), Head of Media Division (Senior Manager) in 2008, and Head of Service Development Office (Senior Manager) in 2009, handling new business discovery and convergence businesses such as media. She later moved to CJ but returned to KT in 2014 during the tenure of former Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu. After transferring to Hyundai Motor Company in 2019, she was brought back to KT in 2021 by CEO Koo Hyun-mo.

Within the company, she is regarded as a leading 'strategist.' She is known to have played a key role in securing large-scale investments from Hyundai Motor and CJ in KT. Hyundai Motor exchanged shares with KT to collaborate on future mobility technologies. A strategic alliance was also formed with Shinhan Bank through share exchanges. She also led the merger of CJ ENM's online video service (OTT) TVING and KT's OTT service SEASON.

Can she persuade the ruling party and shareholders?

It is expected to be a difficult path until she is officially appointed after passing the shareholders' meeting. Yoon was known as CEO Koo Hyun-mo's 'right-hand' and was the candidate most strongly opposed by the ruling party. Earlier, ruling party lawmakers on the National Assembly's Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting Committee criticized the fact that all four candidates were current or former KT executives, calling it a "closed league." They also pointed out that Yoon is a board member, arguing that "the referee is playing as a player."

At the shareholders' meeting, a vote for and against is expected. The National Pension Service (8.53%), Hyundai Motor Group (7.79%), and Shinhan Bank (5.58%) are likely to cast opposing votes under government influence. The National Pension Service is also the largest shareholder of Shinhan Financial Group (8.29%) and the second-largest shareholder of Hyundai Motor (7.78%). However, if minority shareholders actively exercise their voting rights, the atmosphere could change. Minority shareholders hold 57% of KT shares (as of last September).

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