KT to Finalize Next CEO Shortlist Today... Kim Taeho, Park Yunyoung, Lee Hyunseok, and Joo Hyeongcheol as Leading Candidates

Online Interviews for Seven Preliminary Candidates

On December 9, KT will narrow down its candidate pool for the next CEO through online interviews. The seven preliminary candidates will participate in online video interviews on this day, after which they will be evaluated. As early as this afternoon, a shortlist of three to four candidates is expected to be finalized. The KT Director Candidate Recommendation Committee will conduct the final interviews on December 16, select a sole CEO candidate, and complete the official appointment process at the regular shareholders' meeting in March next year.

According to industry sources on December 9, the candidates for KT's next CEO include Kim Cheolsoo, former CEO of Skylife; Kim Taeho, former CEO of Seoul Metro; Nam Gyutaek, former CEO of KT CS; Park Yunyoung, former Head of KT's Enterprise Division; Lee Hyunseok, Head of KT's Customer Division; Joo Hyeongcheol, former Economic Advisor to the Presidential Office; and Hong Wonpyo, former CEO of SK Shieldus. Among them, Kim Taeho, Park Yunyoung, Lee Hyunseok, and Joo Hyeongcheol are considered the leading candidates. Park Yunyoung, a former division head and internal candidate, delivered strong results by leading large-scale B2B (business-to-business) operations. He is regarded as a representative of the "stability" camp due to his deep understanding of mid- to long-term strategy and strong organizational control. Lee Hyunseok, an incumbent executive, is highly regarded for his practical expertise, especially in the recent transition to AI and customer experience (AX). Kim Taeho, who was also a candidate in 2019, is noted for his experience managing large organizations and his leadership in the public sector, which could help KT address current labor-management and external communication issues.

Joo Hyeongcheol, former economic advisor, is at the center of the argument for bringing in an external candidate. Joo is well-versed in industrial and economic policy and is known for his strong communication skills with the government and regulatory agencies. He was previously rumored to be running for mayor of Daejeon or Sejong. However, concerns about a "parachute appointment" have been repeatedly raised both inside and outside KT, making his candidacy a subject of debate.

With both internal promotion and external reform being considered, the board's choice of leadership is seen as the key variable in this appointment process. Internal candidates are considered strong in terms of strategic consistency and organizational stability, while external candidates may have a competitive edge in driving structural change or strengthening external relations. A telecommunications industry official stated, "KT faces a number of challenges, including the implementation of the 'AX (AI transformation)' strategy across its telecommunications and AI businesses and the restoration of its organization and security systems following a recent hacking incident. The direction of KT's future business will largely depend on the type of leadership the board chooses."

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