KT has grown in various fields such as high-speed Internet, wireless communication, satellite, and seabed cable for the past 20 years after privatization. In particular, since the transition to ‘DIGICO’ in 2020, the company has expanded its business to new businesses, B2Bs and global.
KT announced on the 30th that it held the ’20th Anniversary Ceremony’ at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel to reflect on the history of growth. KT’s past, present, and future protagonists gathered together. Representatives of Lee Hyun-mo, former employees, directors, parliamentary and former government officials were also attended. There was also a partner and major shareholders.
At the same time, we looked back on the hard work and glory of major achievements at the time, such as expanding and spreading the mega-pass, launching private companies, launching IPTV, and merger with KT-KTF.
■ KT’s privatization 20 years… From wired and wireless communication to ‘Woo Young-woo’
Following the Smart Revolution, Digital Conversion (DX) presented new growth engines in all areas including traditional industries. In 2020, KT declared the Digico transition, which leads the innovation of other industries based on differentiated networks and digital capabilities. It is an ambition to expand the playground, which was centered on domestic telecommunications and B2C, to new businesses, B2Bs and global.
In 2020, KT began to support B2B DX in earnest by unveiling a B2B business brand called ‘KT Enterprise’. In addition, the application of the AICC is expanding. The company is helping to switch DX by providing ‘HAC’, a service that provides AI GPU based on the cloud.
At the same time, the company is creating business results by settling the group portfolio centered on core growth business. Last year, the company has built a value chain of the media content business, especially in KT Study Ogini, and is focusing on building 1,000 original intellectual property (IP) and more than 100 drama IPs by 2023. The contents of the content business led to the success of the strange lawyer Woo Young-woo.
KT believes that the Digico conversion strategy, which has been promoted over the past three years, is now paying off. In the first half of this year, consolidated revenue increased by 4.4% year-on-year to 12.589 trillion won, the highest in the first half. On the 11th, the share price was 39,300 won in the market, which is twice as high as 19,700 won on March 30, 2020. The market cap surpassed 10 trillion won in nine years since June 2013.
■ Another change following privatization ‘Digico’
KT has invested a total of 63 trillion won in telecommunications and information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure after privatization. Representative Lee said, KT has changed its daily life to differentiated technologies and services in the midst of changes in the times and provided the foundation for new industries.
In particular, KT presented four KT’s growth directions in the new digital world. Specifically, it accelerates growth as a Digico ▲ connects AI, robots, logistics, and contents, and enters global expansion based on Digico service.
First, KT plans to accelerate growth as Digico and develop into a DX leading company. The idea is to add technologies such as AI, big data, and cloud to Telco-based, to have infrastructure for the digital industry. Furthermore, the company plans to grow into a company that provides consulting, education and marketing.
It is also considering how to connect elements that are creating digital ecosystems such as AI, robots, logistics, and content. KT is already leading the AI team and cloud one team. Through this, it will contribute to the development of national DX.
KT also announced plans to enter the global market based on Digico service. KT has succeeded in exporting the IPTV platform to Uzbekistan Internet Data Center (IDC) business and 3BB TV in Thailand. KT proposed a blueprint to cooperate with the number one partner company and to share with domestic companies to share growth opportunities.
The company also announced plans to establish digital citizenship and spread the value of digital safety, communication and information utilization. KT has conducted various programs to overcome the interval and interrogation interruptions such as ‘IT Supporters’ and ‘Lanseon Night Studies’.
■ KT, holding a future forum for the next 20 years of trouble
KT held the ‘KT Future Forum’ on the theme of four future directions with experts from all walks of life. Kim Dae-sik, a professor of electrical and electronic engineering at KAIST, presented the theme of ‘The next 20 years of change’. Professor Kim predicted the changes and trends of the future society and talked about the parts and roles to pay attention to in order for KT to continue to grow into Digico.
Shin Soo-jeong, head of KT Enterprise Division, emphasized KT’s business expansion strategy on the theme of ‘beyond Korea and the global top Digico.’ Park Sung-hyun, CEO of Rebelion, presented ‘Digital Ecosystem Innovation’ and Kim Mi-ryang Sungkyunkwan University Computer Education and Professor of ‘Digital Citizenship’. The panel discussion was conducted with the head of the KT AI2XL Research Institute.
The KT Economic Management Research Institute has published the 20th anniversary of privatization special report, ‘The beginning of all the newness of the digital world, Digico KT’.
An official of KT said, We will make a leap forward as a ‘global tech company’ for the next 20 years, and will always be with digital innovation that makes the people’s lives more convenient and beneficial and increasing national industrial competitiveness.