[New Year's Address] CJ Chairman Kyunghik Sohn: "Winning with the Speed of Executing K-Trends"

Warning Against the Obsolescence of Traditional Strategies Amid AI and Global Trade Restructuring
New Growth Opportunities Emerge Centered on K-Food, Content, and Beauty
Three Key Tasks: Small Successes, Rapid Execution, and Bold Goals

CJ Group has declared that it will make 2026 the inaugural year of a new leap forward, accelerating its pace of execution amid a rapidly changing business environment.

On January 2, Kyunghik Sohn, Chairman of CJ Group, stated in his New Year's address, "With AI at the center, digital technology has become the top competitive edge for nations and companies, and the global trade order is rapidly fragmenting according to the interests of each country and region. We are living in an era where business strategies prepared with the logic of the past can become obsolete in an instant."

Regarding the group's performance last year, Chairman Sohn commented, "While there were achievements in some businesses, the group as a whole fell short of expectations. Temporary responses aimed at short-term performance improvement had their limits, and it was a year in which we confirmed the need for more preparation to strengthen our mid- to long-term competitiveness and lay the foundation for future growth."

However, he drew a clear line, stating that the current difficulties do not define the limits of CJ. Chairman Sohn emphasized, "Consumers around the world are embracing K-food, K-content, K-beauty, and other aspects of K-lifestyle at an unprecedented pace. New markets are opening up in nearly every business area where CJ operates, including food, logistics, beauty, and content."

He continued, "This trend is not a temporary fad, but the formation of a new global consumer culture. At the heart of this are CJ's assets and experience, which have driven the globalization of Korean culture for over 20 years. Now, when uncertainty and opportunity coexist, is the decisive moment to declare another leap forward."

To turn these opportunities into tangible growth, Chairman Sohn presented three tasks to executives and employees.

First, he urged, "Continuously create small successes and quickly spread them throughout the organization to expand organizational consensus." He said, "Change does not start with grand strategies, but with small successes in the field. When each company and department repeatedly achieves and shares even seemingly minor but meaningful results, the organization’s nature changes and we can prepare for future growth."

Second, he stressed the importance of "rapid execution" to lead the K-trend market. Chairman Sohn stated, "This is an era where whoever moves first becomes the winner in future markets. In every area-decision-making, product development, global expansion, and partnership agreements-speed is both the source of competitiveness and the key condition for growth."

Third, he called for bold goal-setting and challenges. He said, "Low targets breed complacency and hinder organizational change. When talented individuals who are not afraid of failure challenge themselves with higher goals, entirely new paths to growth open up."

Chairman Sohn said, "We are standing at a critical juncture that will determine the future of the group. We must accurately understand the rapidly changing business environment, proactively leverage domestic and international government policies, and actively introduce AI and digital technologies to our business sites to accelerate the execution of key tasks."

He added, "Please execute more boldly and swiftly from this year so that people around the world can enjoy the values of health, enjoyment, and convenience that CJ pursues. 2026 must be the year when CJ prepares for and puts into action another leap forward."