The Oldest Corporate Seminar... Dongwon Group Thursday Seminar 50th Anniversary

Honorary Chairman Kim Jae-cheol's Talent Development Philosophy Reflected
In-house Seminar Started on September 26, 1974
Invited Notables Including Lee O-ryeong, Song Ho-geun, Lee Gwang-hyung
608 External Speakers, Total 3,500 Hours of Lectures

Dongwon Group announced on the 26th that its 'Thursday Seminar,' the longest-running corporate seminar in Korea, has reached its 50th anniversary this year.

The Thursday Seminar was introduced by Kim Jae-cheol, Honorary Chairman of Dongwon Group, to foster talent and began on September 26, 1974. The program is designed so that employees can meet experts from various fields and acquire new knowledge and information. Once a month, an external lecturer is invited, while the remaining sessions are conducted by employees themselves, who select seminar topics and present or engage in free discussions. Employees working at sites outside the headquarters listen to the lectures via online broadcasts.

Former manager Kim Sung-geun, known as the "Yashin," is giving a special lecture on "Corporate Innovation and Leadership" to Dongwon Group executives and employees at the group's 'Thursday Seminar,' which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.
[Photo by Dongwon Group]

At the 2345th seminar held that morning, former manager Kim Sung-geun, known as the "Yashin (野神)," was invited to give a special lecture on the theme of "Corporate Innovation and Leadership." Former Manager Kim explained the motto Ilguimumu (一球二無), meaning "There is no next after one ball," urging Dongwon Group employees to dedicate passion to every moment and continuously strive for self-innovation.

The themes of the Thursday Seminar have evolved with the times. In the 1970s, topics mainly covered national policies such as exports and diplomacy; in the 1980s, international economic issues related to globalization emerged. In the 1990s, self-development focusing on personal growth was emphasized, while in the 2000s, themes such as 21st-century economic paradigms, creativity, and communication dominated. In the 2010s, the value of humanities in uncertain times became a new theme, and in the 2020s, lectures covered topics like artificial intelligence (AI) and recovery from COVID-19.

The total number of external speakers over 50 years is 608. Distinguished scholars representing their eras, including the late Professor Lee O-ryeong, Song Ho-geun, Lee Kwang-hyung, Choi Jin-seok, and Kim Nando, as well as notable figures from culture and arts such as Kang Won-guk, Jung Ho-seung, and Choi In-ah, have delivered lectures. The cumulative lecture time amounts to approximately 3,500 hours.

Kim Nam-jung, Chairman of Dongwon Group, said, "One of a company's responsibilities is to provide motivation for its members to grow on their own," adding, "I hope that through the Thursday Seminar, employees will continue to strive to improve their own value without settling for the given environment."

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