SK Members Seek Strategies to Strengthen Fundamental Competitiveness in the AI Era as Icheon Forum Opens

Debating “AI/DT, Operational Improvement, and Sustainable Happiness”
Exploring AI/DT-Driven Change with Experts
Sharing Manufacturing AI Case Studies and Achievements in AI-Based Work Innovation

SK Group is seeking practical strategies for driving strategic, AI-based business initiatives, transforming the way its members work, and strengthening its fundamental competitiveness through its flagship change management platform, the Icheon Forum.

The SK Innovation and SK E&S merged entity, with assets totaling 105 trillion KRW (as of the first half of this year), has officially launched. After announcing the merger in July and completing the preparation process over the past three months, the largest private energy company in the Asia-Pacific region has been established. The photo shows the SK Seorin Building, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where SK Innovation's headquarters is situated. Photo by Kang Jinhyung

On August 17, SK Group announced that it will hold the “Icheon Forum 2025” over three days from August 18 to 20. The Icheon Forum, SK Group’s signature event, was launched in 2017 when Chairman Chey Tae-won proposed the need for a change management platform to respond to a rapidly evolving business environment. The forum brings together renowned scholars and experts from both inside and outside the company to discuss global industry trends, innovative technologies, and future business directions in depth.

This year marks the ninth Icheon Forum, with the central theme of “AI and Digital Transformation (DT).” In-depth discussions will focus on strategies to vitalize South Korea's AI industry ecosystem and SK’s role, case studies of AI/DT-driven innovations in industrial sites, and examples of how AI is transforming the way people work. In addition, there will be group discussion sessions aimed at enhancing the practical application of SKMS, SK Group’s unique management philosophy. This focus stems from the belief that internalizing the SKMS spirit is essential for strengthening fundamental competitiveness in an unpredictable business environment, marked by rapidly shifting global dynamics and the sweeping changes brought by AI.

The first day, dedicated to AI/DT, will be held at the Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjang-dong, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. The event will be attended by more than 250 participants, including Chairman Chey Tae-won, Senior Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, SUPEX Council Chairman Chey Chang-won, key executives from SK affiliates, and academic and industry experts. Leaders from various AI sectors, representatives from the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, and the Korea Foundation for Advanced Studies will also participate, deepening the discussions. CEOs from companies belonging to the “K-AI Alliance”-a coalition of promising Korean AI startups led by SK Telecom-will attend in large numbers to propose ideas for building the AI/DT ecosystem.

The opening remarks on the first day will be delivered by Kwak Noh-jung, President of SK Hynix. He will share his expectations for the sweeping changes AI will bring to industry, discuss the global success of AI memory technologies such as high-bandwidth memory (HBM), and speak about SK’s corporate culture, exemplified by the SUPEX spirit. SUPEX (Super Excellent Level) refers to the attitude of striving to reach ever higher levels through continuous effort and innovation.

The first session, themed “Reshaping the International Order Led by the United States: Solutions for Korean Companies,” will feature keynote speeches delivered online by Victor Cha, Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), and Jing Qian, Director of the China Analysis Center at the Asia Society Policy Institute. Yoon Chi-won, Outside Director of SK Inc.; Kim Hyun-wook, President of the Sejong Institute; and Park Seok-jung, Head of Department at Shinhan Investment Corp., will also participate as panelists, engaging in an in-depth discussion on the direction of Korea’s trade and diplomatic policies and response strategies for Korean companies.

In the subsequent session, “Building Korea’s AI Industry Ecosystem and SK’s Strategic Role,” William Fong, Chief Strategy Officer at DigBI Consulting, an AI consulting firm, and Lee Juhwan, CEO of Swit, a Silicon Valley-based collaboration tool startup, will offer proposals for how Korean companies can achieve AI self-reliance. Yoo Kyungsang, Head of Corporate Strategy at SK Telecom; Lee Seyoung, CEO of RYUTEN Technology; and Park Sunghyun, CEO of Rebellions, will also join to share their thoughts on strategies for spreading the AI ecosystem tailored to Korea’s unique circumstances and on building AI data center infrastructure.

Mohamad Ali, Vice Chairman of IBM, will give a presentation on “Reinvigorating Productivity in Industrial Manufacturing Sites Using AI/DT,” based on IBM’s case studies. Major SK affiliates such as SK Hynix, SK Innovation, and SK AX will also share their approaches to applying AI in their manufacturing operations.

There will also be a presentation on “Achievements and Challenges in Transforming Work Practices with AI,” led by members of SK’s “Junior Management Group.” The Junior Management Group consists of young professionals with outstanding AI capabilities, despite having relatively short work experience, and they are leading AI-driven work innovation at each company. They will candidly and deeply discuss their companies’ AI/DT achievements, organizational culture, and directions for improving infrastructure, including systems and processes.

On the second day, August 19, each affiliate will hold workshops focusing on operational improvement and strengthening the execution of SKMS, including the pursuit of “sustainable happiness.” In response to the AI era, SK is pursuing operational improvement activities to enhance its fundamental competitiveness. Last year, the focus was on “Operational Improvement 1.0,” which emphasized financial stability, while this year, the group is pushing “Operational Improvement 2.0,” which aims to strengthen overall operational capabilities, including marketing.

On the same day, SK affiliates will share the meaning of VWBE (Voluntarily and Willingly Brain Engagement), a core value of SKMS, and gather a wide range of member opinions on systems and culture to support stakeholders’ pursuit of sustainable happiness.

On the final day, August 20, at the SK Seorin Building, Chairman Chey Tae-won, CEOs, and SK members will gather to review the forum’s outcomes. Open and honest discussions will take place, focusing on experiences and questions related to the forum’s main themes, including AI/DT, operational improvement, and happiness. The three-day Icheon Forum will conclude with Chairman Chey’s closing remarks.

An SK official stated, “While last year’s Icheon Forum focused on understanding management directions amid the AI revolution, this year’s event will serve as an opportunity to review how we are putting those changes into practice as the AI ecosystem expands, and to explore ways to strengthen execution at each company. Based on active participation and discussion among our members, we will accelerate the group’s fundamental competitiveness and future innovation.”