Communication/Collaboration/Empowerment, Single KT, Customer-First Leadership Emphasis on Capability Enhancement

KT Group Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu requested employees through his 2018 New Year's address to actively pursue 5G commercialization using the successful world's first 5G trial service in PyeongChang in February this year as a stepping stone.

Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu asked employees to make efforts in three directions to create new opportunities. First, to make the "decisive moment" that 2018 will bring a foundation for leaping to global leadership. He diagnosed that 2018, when changes in the telecommunications market become visible and substantial growth is expected across group companies, will be a "decisive moment."

Chairman Hwang emphasized that proper preparations for 5G commercialization must be made based on the success of the 5G trial service in PyeongChang. He also pointed out that in addition to network infrastructure, service development is important for 5G commercialization. He also requested that the five major platforms, which showed progress over the past year, be actively fostered.

Last February, KT announced plans to intensively develop five major platforms: media, smart energy, financial transactions, enterprise and public value enhancement, and disaster, safety and security. Chairman Hwang emphasized that differentiated results must be created in the financial transaction platform, which has high growth potential. He also did not overlook the importance of future capabilities such as artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and big data.

Second, he urged employees to seriously contemplate and practice the mission and responsibility of KT as a national company. Chairman Hwang pointed out that the public has expectations and demands for KT to lead the Fourth Industrial Revolution, create new jobs, and advance into global markets. He emphasized that innovative technology and creative ideas are necessary to fulfill KT's mission and responsibility as a national company.

He stated, "We will take the lead in addressing pressing issues in environment, safety, and health so that citizens can enjoy comfortable lives," and "We will discover excellent small and medium enterprises, collaborate with them, and advance into overseas markets," promising to pay greater attention to the growth of partner companies.

Third, he asked employees to further deepen the change capabilities inherent in KT Group. Instead of presenting new management agendas for 2018, Chairman Hwang Chang-gyu requested that the efforts that have changed KT Group thus far—communication/collaboration/empowerment, Single KT, corporate culture of passion and perseverance, customer-first leadership, and breaking through limitations—be elevated to a higher level.

He ordered that KT's own "solid differentiation" be created by maximizing latent potential and possibilities in work processes, collaboration methods, organizational culture, and individual capability development.

A ceremony to encourage employees on their first day back and renew their resolve for 2018 was held. The New Year's resolution ceremony attended by approximately 200 employees from KT and group companies began with a video presentation reviewing past achievements, followed by presentations of changes by three employees from KT, group companies, and partner companies.

An employee from KT's network division shared the sense of achievement gained from solving difficulties encountered while preparing for PyeongChang 5G. A KT DS employee introduced the driving force behind the successful KOS project, a wired and wireless integrated service system. A partner company (dealer) employee shared the secret to overcoming the crisis of declining sales through diversifying sales products.

Chairman Hwang stated, "Based on the success of PyeongChang 5G in 2018, I expect this year to be one in which KT secures leadership in 5G commercialization and creates concrete results in AI, blockchain, and other foundational technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution."