Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of CJ Group, "Rebuilding the 'Only One Spirit'... Becoming the Overwhelming No.1"

January 2nd In-House Broadcast Announces New Year's Address
Points Out 'Unprecedented Crisis' Due to Complacency and Arrogance
Financial Structure Improvement and Quantum Jump Plan Reestablishment

"Let's rebuild the ONLYONE spirit and become the overwhelming No. 1 with a super-gap capability."

Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of CJ Group, made this request to the group’s executives and employees in his 2024 New Year's address broadcasted internally on the 2nd. He diagnosed that, apart from external factors such as uncertain international situations and domestic economic recession, the group is facing an "unprecedented crisis" due to complacency and arrogance accumulating within the organization. He pointed out that new innovative competitors like Netflix and Coupang have emerged, threatening the group’s business model, and that the group has failed to respond properly despite fierce pursuit by latecomers. He then urged, "We must regain the urgency to be No. 1, the urgency to be the best, and the urgency to definitely succeed." ONLYONE is CJ Group’s management philosophy, meaning "always pursuing and achieving being first, best, and differentiated in every aspect."

Son Kyung-sik, Chairman of CJ Group [Photo by CJ Group]

Chairman Son stated that to restore the ONLYONE spirit, this year they will promote maximizing profitability and improving the financial structure, and for businesses that have already secured super-gap capabilities, they plan to pursue global growth. He also urged the group to newly and challengingly establish the 'Quantum Jump Plan,' the 2426 mid-term plan. He emphasized that it should not be a simple numerical goal but should present super-gap capabilities by business, global targets, and concrete execution plans based on active empathy and agreement from members.

He also announced organizational culture innovation to execute these two core tasks. First, he encouraged group leaders to secure excellent talent and steadily nurture internal talent according to long-term plans to place them in the right positions. He emphasized that to achieve goals, authority should be delegated to the right people, exceptional performance should be rewarded generously, and a culture of accountability must be fostered when goals are not met. Lastly, he urged creating an environment where capable 'Hagojabi' (people who want to do everything and create work, those with a strong work appetite) talents can accomplish goals and continuously challenge new things.

Chairman Son summarized, "CJ Group evolved from material industries such as sugar and flour to become a company that promotes K-Food and K-Culture worldwide," adding, "The past 70 years have been a continuous challenge to seemingly impossible tasks." He stressed, "For our group to truly leap forward as a global lifestyle company, we must rebuild the ONLYONE spirit and achieve overwhelming No. 1, super-gap No. 1," and added, "Even after achieving goals, we must return to the basic attitude of setting new and challenging goals with a humble mindset."

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