KT reshuffle puts emphasis on 5G networks

Lee Dong-myun

KT announced on Friday that it promoted seven high-level executives including Lee Dong-myun, head of KT Institute of Convergence Technology, who had been in charge of the mobile carrier’s research and development in the latest technologies.

Lee was promoted from senior executive vice president to senior executive president, signaling that KT plans to bolster the development of futuristic technologies like the high-speed 5G networks and artificial intelligence.

With the aim of commercializing a 5G network in 2019, faster than any other carrier in the world, KT has been hoping to use the upcoming PyeongChang Olympic Games to show off its 5G developments.

With Lee promoted, the mobile carrier is moving to crank up the pace of its research and development.

Six executive vice presidents were promoted to senior executive vice presidents.

The marketing, enterprise sales, finance, IT planning and public relations divisions were recognized for their performance this year, KT said.

Kang Kook-hyun, head of the marketing division; Lee Pill-jai, head of the marketing strategy business unit as well as a GiGA Genie business team dedicated to developing the voice-activated AI platform; Park Yoon-young, head of the enterprise business consulting unit; Shin Kwang-suk, chief financial officer; Shin Soo-jung, chief of IT planning office; and Yoon Jong-jin, head of the public relations office, were all promoted.

Kang was recognized for creating a KT-specific phone plan, dubbed the “Y series.” Lee Pill-jai was promoted for his leadership in stabilizing the GiGA Genie business. Lee announced a goal of attracting 500,000 users to its smart speaker platform after releasing three new devices just last month. CFO Shin contributed to the mobile carrier recovering its A-level credit ratings from three major credit firms in the world. Park was recognized for playing a central role in boosting business targeting enterprises.

BY KIM JEE-HEE [kim.jeehee@joongang.co.kr]