SK Celebrates 70th Anniversary... Publication of Chairman Choi Jong-geon and Jong-hyun's Collection of Quotes

Emphasizing Business Patriotism and Human-Centered Management: SK's 'DNA'
Extracting 250 Quotes from 15,000 Records

"Straighten what is bent and connect what is broken." This was the phrase spoken by Choi Jong-geon, the founding chairman of SK, as he personally picked up parts and reassembled a loom in a factory reduced to ashes and ruins by the Korean War in 1953.

"Those who challenge dominate the future." This was the phrase emphasized by Choi Jong-hyun, the previous chairman of SK, to the members along with the vision of "complete vertical integration from oil to textiles" after the national crisis of the oil shock in the early 1970s.

At the groundbreaking ceremony of the acetate factory in 1967, Founder Chairman Choi Jong-geon (fifth from the left) and Former Chairman Choi Jong-hyun (sixth from the left)

SK Group published on the 6th the collection of sayings of the founding chairman Choi Jong-geon and the previous chairman Choi Jong-hyun, brothers, titled “Ask with Passion, Answer with Wisdom” in celebration of its 70th anniversary on the 8th. The book contains about 250 representative sayings along with anecdotes, highlighting how the legacy of the two chairmen, who devoted their lives to strengthening national competitiveness, has been inherited and how SK has grown into a leading company in the business world.

Chairman Choi Jong-geon was an entrepreneur who, after reassembling abandoned looms in 1953 to establish Seonkyung Textiles, practiced a lifelong mission to lift Korea out of poverty, including exporting rayon fabrics marked "Made in Korea" for the first time.

He habitually said, "The development of the company is the development of the country," emphasizing that the efforts of his generation enrich future generations. The collection depicts him encouraging employees who created the Miracle on the Han River from scratch, saying, "There is no obstacle we cannot overcome with our wisdom and courage."

Chairman Choi Jong-hyun was a businessman who applied the market economy logic of the 'Chicago School,' based on his studies in the United States, to Korean-style management. In the 1970s, when companies pursued only profits, he combined Western management theories with Eastern human-centered philosophy to establish SK’s unique management system, SKMS (SK Management System).

As reflected in his sayings such as "First is people, second is people, third is people," and "You (You) take care of it," Chairman Choi practiced bold delegation based on autonomy. He took groundbreaking steps at the time, including opening Seonkyung Training Center, Korea’s first corporate training institute (1975), abolishing the chairman’s approval stamp and attendance cards, and introducing overseas MBA programs.

When public opinion arose that the acquisition price of Korea Mobile Telecommunications (now SK Telecom) in 1994 was too high, he demonstrated insight into future industrial changes by saying, "We bought not a company but the future."

At the 1969 polyester yarn factory completion ceremony, Founder Chairman Choi Jong-geon (left) and Former Chairman Choi Jong-hyun (right)

The management philosophy of the two chairmen continues with Chairman Chey Tae-won. After being appointed chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 2021, Chairman Chey declared, "I will think about what I can do for the national economy," and has since devoted himself to supporting the Busan Expo bid and global economic cooperation.

In the foreword, Chairman Chey introduced, "The lives and philosophies of the founding chairman and the previous chairman were not limited to corporate development but were directed toward the development of the nation and society," and added, "The spirit of challenge and overcoming crises of the predecessors will be the driving force for SK’s 70-year leap and future design."

SK analyzed about 15,000 records including publications, memoirs, and work notes of the two chairmen over 10 months to select representative sayings. About 1,500 photos from the founding to the previous chairman’s era were digitally restored, and 170 photos were included in the book. The collection is not for sale and can be accessed through university and public libraries as well as the SK website.

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