KT fills leadership vacuum, appoints Kim Young-shub as CEO

KT named Kim Young-shub, the 64-year-old former CEO of LG CNS, as its new CEO on Wednesday, putting an end to a leadership vacuum that has been in place since the end of 2022. Kim vowed to bolster the company's footing in its enterprise IT service...

KT's new CEO Kim Young-shub gives his appointment speech at KT's office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Wednesday. [KT]

KT named Kim Young-shub, the 64-year-old former CEO of LG CNS, as its new CEO on Wednesday, putting an end to a leadership vacuum that has been in place since the end of 2022.

Kim vowed to bolster the company's footing in its enterprise IT service and new businesses beyond its mainstay telecommunications segment during his acceptance speech at KT's office in Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

Shareholders approved the appointment on Wednesday alongside other nominations such as the appointment of inside director Seo Chang-seok, who previously headed KT’s network strategy unit.

"I thank the employees who have been doing their best in their respective positions despite the leadership vacuum," Kim said. "For the last four weeks, I have had the chance to meet with KT's executives to discuss the company's situation."

“KT is a company with many assets and a pride on which Korea’s ICT industry is founded,” Kim said at KT’s office on Wednesday. “With a clear goal to work towards, the company can move forward with a sustainable base for growth.”

Kim proposed four values for KT’s future including the development of customer-based services and quickly catching on to their needs as its competitive edge, prioritizing industry expertise, such as merit-based promotion, restoring business fundamentals and maintaining a harmonious working culture.

“Let’s strive to become the best company in the ICT realm,” Kim said, referring to business segments such as telecommunications, artificial intelligence and cloud services. “Growth will naturally follow if we tap KT’s potential. I will do my best so that KT employees can experience fulfillment in their jobs because our people are at the heart of company management and growth.”

After the appointment ceremony, Kim met with KT's labor union and held his first on-site inspection at the carrier's network control center in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi.

Kim began his career at Lucky Goldstar International, the predecessor to LG's trading company LX International, in 1984 after graduating from Korea University with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

His prior roles include heading IT service provider LG CNS's high-tech and solution business divisions from 2008 and the role of chief financial officer of LG Uplus in 2014. A year later, Kim was appointed as LG CNS's CEO and retired in 2022.

Kim's KT tenure ends in March 2026.

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]