KB News Desk
Chey Tae-won tells executives AI requires redesigning business operations, not simply adopting new technology, as annual KCCI forum opens
South Korea’s leading business figures gathered Wednesday on Jeju Island to seek new sources of growth as artificial intelligence reshapes the country’s industries, workplaces and education system.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry opened its 49th Jeju Forum at the Shilla Jeju hotel, bringing together about 500 corporate executives, regional chamber leaders and senior government officials for four days of talks through Saturday.
KCCI Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also heads SK Group, opened the annual gathering, while National Assembly Speaker Cho Jeong-sik attended the first-day program to meet with business leaders.
Senior executives from Samsung Electronics, SK, Hyundai Motor, LG, GS Engineering & Construction, Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance and Maeil Dairies are among the participants, alongside the heads of chambers of commerce from across the country, according to KCCI.
In his opening speech, Chey stressed that simply adopting AI would not automatically deliver results, saying companies must understand how to use the technology and ask the right questions.
“We need to re-architect the way we work around AI,” he said, adding that meaningful gains would come only when companies redesign their operations rather than bolt AI onto existing processes.
The main lecture program begins Thursday with Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan, who is expected to outline what the government sees as three key battlegrounds for the Korean economy and propose strategies to secure future markets.
Seok Cha-ok, a Seoul National University professor and chief executive of AI drug developer Galux, will discuss how technological constraints can be turned into commercial opportunities.
Travel Wallet CEO Kim Hyung-woo and Allgot CEO Choi Hong-kuk will also share their experiences building businesses in cross-border financial services and frozen Korean food products, respectively.
AI will take center stage Friday. Lee Jae-wook, director of Seoul National University’s AI Institute, will assess Korea’s position in the global AI race, while BCG Korea Managing Director and Partner Jang Jin-seok will discuss how companies can remain competitive as AI adoption accelerates.
Chey will then join Lee and semiconductor expert Kwon Seok-joon of Sungkyunkwan University for a public discussion on the economic and social impact of AI.
The session is expected to cover topics ranging from AI transformation at traditional manufacturers to how parents should approach education in an AI-driven era. It will be livestreamed on KCCI’s official YouTube channel from 9:10 a.m. Friday.
The final day will turn to broader social change. Culture Minister Choi Hwi-young will present the government’s policy direction for the Korean cultural industry, and Chung-Ang University professor Ma Kang-rae will address population decline and the risk of regional communities disappearing.
Hyundai Marine & Fire Insurance Executive Vice President Chung Kyung-sun will discuss the expanding social role of companies, followed by a talk on philanthropy by singer Sean.
The forum will also feature young entrepreneurs who moved to rural areas and built businesses around local resources, including Jeju mandarins and volcanic seawater.
“With the domestic and global economic environment changing rapidly, we have brought together leading speakers from a wide range of fields to offer business leaders broader insights into growth,” said Kang Myung-soo, head of KCCI’s membership cooperation division.
First held in 1974, the forum is one of Korea’s largest annual gatherings of business leaders. This year’s program centers on how companies and policymakers can respond to rapid technological and social change, with sessions spanning industrial strategy, corporate leadership, artificial intelligence and demographic challenges.
