SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won called on employees to ride the "powerful winds" of artificial intelligence and navigate growing global uncertainties with confidence, stressing that the conglomerate was still well-positioned to play a central role in the emerging AI-driven economy.
In a New Year message delivered to employees via email on Thursday, Chey said SK should move forward with the mindset of "creating the new by learning from the old" and embrace the "spirit to sail through towering waves on favorable winds."
"Amid the massive shift brought by AI, we must move forward boldly into global markets and overcome rough waters without hesitation," Chey said.
Chey noted that despite prolonged uncertainty in the global business environment, SK has been rebuilding its "fundamental strength" through portfolio rebalancing and operational improvement, thanking employees for their dedication and resilience during the restructuring process.
His remarks come as South Korea's second-largest conglomerate by assets is working to streamline its sprawling business portfolio. Over the past two years, SK has pushed ahead with asset sales, investment discipline and operational improvements, particularly in energy and materials business to strengthen its balance sheet.
With AI already becoming embedded in everyday life, it is reshaping global industrial structures and business models at an accelerating pace, the chairman said.
He emphasized that SK's decadeslong investments across memory chips, ICT, energy solutions, batteries and related services have effectively laid the groundwork for the current AI era.
"Looking back, the path SK has taken over the years was ultimately a journey toward preparing for today's AI-driven world," he said.
As a key growth engine, Chey pointed to the development of integrated AI solutions that leverage the combined strengths of SK's affiliates. He stressed that AI innovation should not be viewed as a semiconductor-only challenge.
"The capabilities SK companies have accumulated over decades in energy, telecommunications, construction and bio are precisely what will underpin the AI era," he said, adding that building AI-solutions and services in those areas would create differentiated value and new business models unique to the group.
"Let us make 2026 a year in which our collective challenges bear fruit and grow into a source of even greater pride for all SK members," he said.
herim@heraldcorp.com
