Kim Young-seop, KT CEO's First External Move... "Reborn as a Digital Innovation Partner"

M360 APAC Conference Held
Telecom Operators Must Take the Lead... 'Digital Service First'

"In the areas of smart cities, metaverse, digital healthcare, and energy, it is necessary for telecom operators to secure leadership."

Kim Young-seop, CEO of KT, announced the vision of a "digital innovation partner" at the ‘Mobile360 Asia Pacific (M360 APAC)’ conference held on the 7th at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.

Kim Young-seop, CEO of KT [Photo by KT]

This event marked the first official appearance of CEO Kim since his inauguration on the 30th of last month. On this day, he unveiled his future management strategy under the theme of "telecom operator-led digital paradigm shift." He emphasized that telecom operators must reclaim leadership of the digital ecosystem, which has been taken over by global big tech companies, and stated that they will secure digital competitiveness through 6G and new information and communication technologies (ICT).

CEO Kim said, "While telecom operators have been satisfied with building networks and earning profits by providing exclusive telecom services on top of them, big tech companies have become the owners of the digital ecosystem by offering innovative services such as messengers, over-the-top (OTT) video services, autonomous driving, and internet finance on the infrastructure built by telecom operators." He added, "A change is needed to overcome this reality." He further stated, "It is necessary to accumulate equal capabilities in areas led by big tech and secure leadership in still early-stage fields such as smart cities, metaverse, digital healthcare, and energy." He also identified cloud, AI customer centers, security, metaverse, and mobility as core business areas.

He stressed that a shift in perspective is necessary to secure leadership. Instead of the existing 'infrastructure first' approach that starts with preparing telecom networks, a 'digital service first' approach prioritizing customer experience is required. CEO Kim said, "Such efforts will determine not only the growth of companies but also the digital competitiveness of the nation." He expressed confidence, saying, "Proactively presenting digital services that enhance the value of human life based on openness and cooperation will become the raison d'?tre of future telecom operators."

Additionally, global ICT leaders such as Mats Granryd, Secretary-General of GSMA; Park Yoon-kyu, Vice Minister of Science and ICT; Kim Woo-jun, President of Samsung Electronics’ Network Business Division; and Yang Jie, Chairman of China Mobile, delivered keynote speeches. Vice Minister Park introduced the government’s digital policies. President Kim Woo-jun gave a speech on "Evolution and Innovation of Next-Generation Telecom Networks," stating that software will be a game changer in the telecom network field and that Samsung Electronics will lead the change as a frontrunner.

M360 is an event that selects regional topics from Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia to discuss the agenda of the ICT industry regarding mobile industry issues. It has been held annually by GSMA since 2013, and this is the first time it is held in Korea. Under the theme "Lead the Digital-First Future," major ICT companies, governments, regulatory agencies, and academia from around the world gather to discuss the future of the digital era, including digital transformation (DX), artificial intelligence (AI), 6G, and fintech.