[CEO Rivals] Kim Young-seop, KT CEO United by Eastern Philosophy and Pragmatism

Emphasizing Innovation, Harmony, and Customers... Rejecting Superficiality
Prioritizing 'Competency Ranking'... Leading Digital Innovation

Editor's NoteThe CEOs of the three major telecommunications companies, which divide the Korean telecom market into three parts, are both colleagues running together toward Korea's goal of becoming the world's number one information technology powerhouse and rivals engaged in fierce market competition. For a while, the three CEOs were in an awkward period of neither proper cooperation nor competition due to KT's inability to appoint a new CEO. However, the situation changed with the emergence of Kim Young-seop as KT's new CEO. The common challenge for the three companies is to evolve beyond telecommunications firms into global big tech companies integrating digital technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI). The signal for intense competition has sounded again: who will solve this challenge with better results? We conducted an in-depth analysis of the three CEOs, who are both colleagues and rivals. This installment focuses on Kim Young-seop, CEO of KT.

Kim Young-seop, the new CEO of KT (pictured), worked as an LG man for 39 years, rejecting unnecessary formalities and superficial tasks. His pragmatic management philosophy, which focuses solely on customers and emphasizes the essence, is expected to permeate KT as well.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Even during the preparation process before assuming the KT CEO position, he revealed his own style. Although there was a proposal to form a separate acquisition committee with a few specific executives, it is said that CEO Kim rejected it. Instead of forming a separate organization to understand the work, he conducted one-on-one interviews with department heads in the field, holding Q&A sessions to meticulously grasp the tasks. However, he ordered, "Make all reports concise on one page," which caused executives to sweat. It is difficult to summarize the situation into a one-page report without fully understanding the work.

His serious attitude toward his work was formed from childhood. He is said to have been self-taught in humanities, with a strong interest in Eastern philosophy and classical Korean studies. Thanks to this, he mastered most Chinese characters at an early age. In 2008, he completed the humanities course for top leaders at Seoul National University, and in 2013, he earned a master's degree majoring in Confucian classics and Korean thought at Sungkyunkwan University's Graduate School of Confucian Studies.

His pragmatic attitude, imbued with Eastern philosophical thought, is well reflected in an internal email he sent to employees in December 2015 when he was appointed CEO of LG CNS. At that time, he conveyed management keywords using the four-character idioms 'Haehyeon-gyeongjang (解弦更張)' and 'Sayo-mushil (事要務實)'. Haehyeon-gyeongjang means changing the strings of a geomungo (a traditional Korean string instrument), tightening what has loosened. Sayo-mushil means that it is important to focus on substance in work. He said, "Let us tighten our loosened minds, renew our tension, do our best in our respective positions, boldly discard unnecessary formalities, and create a culture that focuses more on substantive work." He likes to share his thoughts with employees through classical poems or four-character idioms. There was also a time when he emphasized 'Dongju-gongje (同舟共濟) I-sin-seon-ji (以身先之)', meaning to collaborate with one heart and mind and to innovate oneself.

CEO Kim was born in April 1959 in Mungyeong, Gyeongsangbuk-do. He graduated from Gyeongbuk Provincial High School and Korea University with a degree in Business Administration. In 1984, he joined Lucky-Goldstar Trading Corporation, the predecessor of LG Corporation, and served as Senior Executive Director of the Financial Improvement Team at LG Restructuring Headquarters. Returning as CEO of LG CNS in 2015, he pursued digital innovation by transforming the company into a technology capability-centered organization through personnel innovation and organizational restructuring.

Believing that personnel evaluation and salary payment standards should also be based on technology, he introduced a technical competency evaluation system for employees in 2016. Based on exam questions prepared by experts, employees took technical certification tests and were comprehensively evaluated and leveled, leading LG Group's digital innovation that values 'competency ranking' over seniority.

At the KT CEO inauguration ceremony on the 30th of last month, CEO Kim emphasized that for KT to become the number one information and communication technology (ICT) company, "(All employees) must become top experts in their respective fields" and "work harmoniously and in a masterful manner." On that day, he encouraged building a culture of accumulating capabilities and skills, innovating, and harmonizing to become a company recognized by customers and delivering tangible results.

He added, "What I have kept in my mind throughout my life is 'the customer,'" and stressed the need for a culture firmly grounded in customer-centric thinking. This means that becoming a company where individuals possess outstanding capabilities, innovate, and grow ultimately points toward the customer. About 58,000 KT Group employees watched the inauguration ceremony via internal broadcasting. CEO Kim also received and answered questions online.

CEO Kim is a financial expert and restructuring specialist. It is expected that upon his appointment, he will carry out a large-scale personnel reshuffle along with organizational restructuring. However, some believe that his cautious personality, which values harmony, will prevent him from making rash 'cuts' under the guise of reform. On the 7th, CEO Kim will make his first public appearance at the 'Mobile 360 Asia Pacific' event hosted by the Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) in Jung-gu, Seoul. He is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech on sustainable digital strategies and future vision, providing an opportunity to hear where the KT ship led by CEO Kim is headed.

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