Icheon Forum Opens... Kwak Nojung: "Now Is the Era of AI Survival of the Fittest"

"If Charles Darwin Were Alive Today, He Would Have Added a Word to 'Survival of the Fittest'
Kwak Nojung Emphasizes 'AI Survival of the Fittest' and the Importance of Disruptive Innovation at Icheon Forum 2025"

"If Charles Darwin were alive today, he would have certainly added one more word to 'survival of the fittest.' Now, it is the era of 'AI survival of the fittest.'"

On August 18, at the opening of the 'Icheon Forum 2025' held at Grand Walkerhill Seoul in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, SK Hynix CEO Kwak Nojung stated, "At this turning point where disruptive innovation is accelerating, artificial intelligence (AI) competitiveness will become the key factor determining the success or failure of companies."

Kwak Nojung, CEO of SK Hynix, is delivering the opening speech at the 'Icheon Forum 2025' held at Walkerhill Hotel in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, at 9 a.m. on the 18th. SK

This year's Icheon Forum, now in its ninth edition, centers on the theme of 'AI and Digital Transformation (DT).' In-depth discussions are being held on topics such as strategies to vitalize Korea's AI industry ecosystem and SK's role, case studies of industrial innovation based on AI/DT, and examples of workplace transformation driven by AI. While last year's forum emphasized the need for companies to ride the massive wave of AI, this year the focus appears to be on specific methods of AI adoption.

Kwak stressed, "We are now facing an issue of our time that cannot be ignored," adding, "At the heart of this change lies innovation brought about by AI, which is not incremental but disruptive, fundamentally overturning existing frameworks." He went on to say, "For decades, we have seen a shift from generic products to customized ones, and now even the ability to accurately predict markets or enhance manufacturing efficiency is evaluated based on AI competitiveness. In fact, business success or failure is determined by this. Among the most prominent companies in this AI era is none other than SK Hynix."

On the myth of high bandwidth memory (HBM), a key pillar of the AI era, Kwak said, "The year after SK and I met, we introduced the world's first HBM1 product, followed by HBM2 and HBM3." He added, "Without a one-team spirit, the HBM legend might not have been possible." Reflecting on SK Hynix's past, he recalled, "Just over 20 years ago, we had to save on electricity by turning off office lights and reducing side dishes in the company cafeteria, all employees were forced to take unpaid leave, and those at the senior level and above had to return 10% of their salaries."

Kwak also emphasized the 'SK SUPEX Spirit.' He explained, "SUPEX refers to the highest level attainable by human capability. It is not simply about being the best, but about moving forward step by step through endless improvement and innovation." He added, "The word SUPEX has shaped today's SK and, I believe, must continue to shape SK in the future."

SK Group is holding the 'Icheon Forum 2025' for three days from August 18 to 20. The forum was attended by Chairman Chey Tae-won, Senior Vice Chairman Chey Jae-won, SUPEX Council Chairman Chey Chang-won, major executives from SK affiliates, as well as more than 250 experts from academia and industry. Leaders from various AI fields, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chey Institute for Advanced Studies, and the Foundation for Advanced Studies in Higher Education also participated, adding depth to the discussions. In addition, there will be member discussion sessions aimed at strengthening the implementation of SK's unique management philosophy, SKMS.