KT's New Chief Puts His Stamp on the Company With a Personnel Overhaul

Park Yun-young is bringing in outside experts for security, legal affairs, communications and AI

Core network and IT operations remain in the hands of longtime insiders

Park Yun-young, CEO of KT

[Insight Korea = Shin Kwang-ryeol]

Park Yun-young, the chief executive of KT, is using personnel appointments and organizational changes to make his management approach clear. By placing outside experts in charge of key functions while keeping core operating units under internally promoted executives, he is moving to strengthen both stability and execution across the company.

According to industry officials on April 29, Mr. Park has been moving quickly to reorganize key posts since taking office. The changes appear aimed at erasing traces of the previous leadership under former President Kim Young-shub while realigning the company around specific functions. His plan is to increase both decision-making speed and execution by putting outside experts in prominent roles.

The most notable feature of the reshuffle is the large-scale appointment of external talent in areas such as security, legal affairs, public relations and finance. Lee Sang-woon, a former official at the Korea Financial Telecommunications and Clearings Institute, was recruited to lead the information security office as chief information security officer. Mr. Lee has more than 30 years of experience in financial IT and information protection, suggesting that KT is placing greater weight on upgrading security systems connected to its telecommunications networks.

The legal office will be headed by Song Gyu-jong, a former inspector general at the National Intelligence Service who also served as director of public security planning at the Supreme Prosecutors’ Office. The appointment is seen as a move to strengthen both regulatory response and internal control. Kim Chang-oh, an information security project manager at the Ministry of Science and ICT, is also expected to join KT in mid-May as chief privacy officer.

KT has also strengthened its external communications function. Kim Dong-hoon, a former president of the Journalists Association of Korea and former reporter at The Hankyoreh, was appointed head of public relations. Some observers say the move was influenced by the growing importance of corporate reputation management and external communication, especially as KT has faced hacking incidents, controversy over security vulnerabilities and issues surrounding its governance structure.

At the same time, AX, or artificial intelligence transformation, has moved to the forefront under Mr. Park’s leadership. KT has created a new AX business division by integrating functions that had previously been split among strategy planning, technology development and business execution. Park Sang-won, former head of consulting at Samjong KPMG, was recruited to lead the division. The move signals that KT intends to treat AI not merely as a technology function, but as a business organization.

Yang Jae-young, who previously worked at Samsung SDS, has been tapped to lead the AX Tech division. Choi Jung-kyu, formerly of LG AI Research, has been named head of the AX Future Technology Institute. Kim Jun-seok, a natural language processing expert who has worked at Naver, Hyundai Motor and Hanwha Life, has also joined as head of the Agentic AI Lab at the AX Future Technology Institute.

Outside Talent for Strategy, Internal Promotions for Stability

KT filled its core operating units, including IT and networks, mainly with internally promoted executives. Vice President Ok Kyung-hwa and Kim Young-in, head of the network division, are leading examples.

Both have spent many years at KT and have broad experience in technology and operations. Ms. Ok joined the company’s research and development institute in 1992 and has led efforts to computerize and automate telecommunications network management systems and develop platforms, helping improve operational efficiency. With experience in both wired and wireless communications technology as well as software development, she has built a broad understanding of KT’s IT organization and, until recently, oversaw its platform and operations units.

Mr. Kim became head of the network strategy office in 2021, where he designed the company’s mid- to long-term network direction. He later led regional operations, where he proved his ability to execute in the field. With experience in both strategy and on-site operations, he is regarded as well suited to manage both network quality and stability.

The appointments suggest a strategy of separating the two priorities of growth and stability. In new business areas such as AI and B2B, KT is seeking to secure competitiveness quickly through external hires. In telecommunications infrastructure and service operations, however, the company appears intent on minimizing risk by relying on organizations with deep internal experience.

New businesses represented by AI differ fundamentally from traditional telecommunications operations, making the limits of internal capabilities more apparent. Market conditions are also changing quickly, requiring rapid testing and application of both technologies and business models. That is why a strategy of using outside talent to quickly secure commercialization capabilities is gaining traction. By contrast, network and system operations are areas where stability and continuity are essential, making it more efficient to maintain organizations centered on proven internal talent.

Kim Yong-hee, a professor of business administration at Sun Moon University, said the reshuffle was “a case of reorganizing strategic functions in line with governance reform.”

“It reflects a structure designed to manage new businesses and the core business separately,” he said.

“Given the scale of organizational change, it will take time to evaluate the results,” he added. “At least two quarters will be needed before the actual impact can be judged.”

-This article was translated by ChatGPT. (이 기사는 챗GPT가 번역했습니다.)