10 Major Groups' New Year Address Keywords: 'Competition'... 'AI' Enters Top 10 for the First Time, Eco-friendliness Drops Out

CEO Score Survey... "POSCO 'Competition', LG 'Customer', Samsung 'Technology', SK 'AI' Stand Out"

Among the New Year's addresses issued by the top 10 domestic conglomerates this year, the keyword 'competition' was used most frequently. This is due to the peak of domestic and international political and economic uncertainties. As uncertainties have increased due to factors such as the impeachment political situation, intensified high exchange rates and high inflation, prolonged global economic recession, and the launch of Donald Trump's second administration, it is interpreted as reflecting the companies' determination to overcome the crisis by enhancing their core technological competitiveness.

According to a survey conducted by the CEO Score of the Corporate Data Research Institute on the frequency of words used in the New Year's addresses of the top 10 domestic conglomerates this year, the most frequently mentioned keywords were 'competition' and 'customer' (each 41 times), the institute announced on the 3rd.

Among the top 10 groups, POSCO used the word 'competition' the most. It is interpreted that POSCO emphasized strengthening competitiveness as a way to drive new growth for the group amid the prolonged downturn in the steel industry and the worst performance crisis.

Jang In-hwa, Chairman of POSCO Group, said in his New Year's address, "The core of the group's competitiveness lies in securing absolute technological superiority," adding, "In the steel business, we must create tangible results in overseas growth investments and carbon neutrality, and build sustainable competitiveness through structural innovation in costs."

Following POSCO, Shinsegae (12 times), SK (6 times), and Hanwha (5 times) also mentioned competition.

The determination to continuously innovate business from the customer's perspective was also revealed.

LG Group, which places customer value as its top management principle, was found to have used the word 'customer' most frequently in its New Year's addresses over the past four years. Koo Kwang-mo, Chairman of LG Group, presented customers as the direction LG should take in the 2019 New Year's address and has evolved and developed the message of customer value management every year since.

In this year's New Year's address, Chairman Koo said, "With the DNA of challenge and change, we will provide future customers with values that are absolutely necessary and exceed expectations," adding, "Let us build a future unimaginable without LG on the foundation of the heart and innovation toward customers that we have cultivated."

Despite increasing management uncertainties, the will to continue pursuing the future and growth was also evident. Along with competition and customer, future (35 times), growth (32 times), innovation (31 times), global (29 times), technology (27 times), change (26 times), AI (22 times), and value (22 times) ranked within the top 10.

Notably, AI entered the 'top 10' for the first time, while 'eco-friendly,' part of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management, was absent.

Technology was most frequently mentioned by POSCO (10 times), HD Hyundai (8 times), and Samsung (5 times).

Samsung mentioned technology more than AI (4 times), future (3 times), quality (3 times), and innovation (2 times) in this year's New Year's address. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairmen Han Jong-hee and Jeon Young-hyun emphasized, "Based on super-gap technological leadership, let us lay the foundation for a leap forward and secure new growth engines."

The AI ranking rose nine places from 18th last year to 9th this year. This is evaluated as reflecting the determination to become a global leading company as AI technology spreads across all industrial sectors.

SK Group mentioned AI 12 times in its New Year's address, solidifying its image as a global AI leading company.

SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won said, "The global industrial structure and market reorganization due to the rapid growth of the AI industry is an unstoppable trend," adding, "To enhance the group's core business capabilities using AI, all members must strengthen their ability to apply and utilize AI in actual work."

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