KT Names New CEO to Lead AI-First Strategy
South Korea's KT Corp. appointed Park Yoon-young as CEO at its annual shareholder meeting Tuesday, tasking him with accelerating the telco's shift toward AI-native operations.
Park, who spent 30 years at KT and most recently led the enterprise services division, replaces Kim Young-seop. Kim stepped down after a major cyberbreach in late 2025, taking responsibility for the company's security failures.
From Telecom to AI Platform
KT is reorganizing around two priorities: integrating its R&D unit with a new AI transformation (AX) division, and creating a dedicated IT division for platform operations and network architecture.
The company committed in 2024 to becoming an "AICT company" - combining AI with traditional information and communication technology. That strategy now anchors the new leadership structure.
In a message to staff, Park said AI will drive KT's next phase. "We will develop KT into a national key telecommunications operator responsible for the present and future of Korea's network, and into an AI platform company leading the AI era," he said.
Pressure on Core Business
Park acknowledged the telco's traditional business faces mounting pressure. "The environment surrounding our core telecommunications business is becoming increasingly difficult, and our responsibility for security, networks and quality has never been heavier," he said.
KT is positioning itself in next-generation technologies including 6G, satellite communications, AI-based radio access networks, and quantum security. The company recently worked with Samsung to test AI-based radio access network optimization on its commercial network.
The appointment signals a broader shift among Korean telcos. SK Telecom, KT's main domestic rival, has pursued similar AI-platform positioning.
For executives overseeing digital strategy, this move reflects how telecom operators are repositioning their core value proposition around AI services rather than connectivity alone. AI for Executives & Strategy resources can help leadership teams understand how to structure similar organizational changes.
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