Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin on Thursday urged employees to pursue growth and innovation, saying this year’s business environment demands structural improvement in the group’s core businesses. He cited high inflation, high interest rates and a weak currency, as well as geopolitical risks and demographic change. Shin called for differentiated results based on autonomy and proactive responses to change, including embedding AI as a key competitive strength. He also said innovation has not yet produced visible results and urged stronger execution.