KT received a “top” grade for the 12th straight year in the Shared Growth Index assessment by the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership.

The Shared Growth Index is a quantified indicator that evaluates the level of cooperative partnership by company to promote shared growth between large companies and small and medium-sized enterprises.

KT runs various shared-growth programmes, including helping partner companies develop overseas sales channels, supporting management stability and creating a safe working environment. This year, it operated a “KT Global Shared Growth Cooperation Pavilion” four times to help promising partners enter overseas markets. Through the programme, 18 participating partner companies achieved export results totalling 180 billion won.

It also expanded financial support. KT provided low-interest loans totalling 69.1 billion won through a shared-growth cooperation fund, and carried out venture investment worth 21.76 billion won in connection with KT Invest and others. Ahead of traditional holidays, it early-paid about 250 billion won in supply payments together with group affiliates. It also provided 36.5 billion won in advance purchase payments in response to a sharp rise in memory prices. This helped partner companies cut memory purchase costs by a total of 10.4 billion won.

It is also continuing support for startups and small business owners. Through the digital talent development programme “Able School,” it links trainee recruitment, and it runs AI education for small business owners and a public-private joint technology commercialisation R&D programme.

KT supported safety and health consulting and safety inspections of outdoor storage yards for partner companies. It also expanded support for on-site safety equipment such as fall-prevention aids and safety helmets. It is also gathering partner companies’ opinions through events such as “Partners Day” and a general meeting of the “Partners Council,” and reflecting them in institutional improvements.

Kwon Hye-jin (권혜진), executive vice president and head of KT’s SCM Office, said, “We will continue to enhance our partners’ technology competitiveness and global business capabilities and build a healthy industrial ecosystem where we can grow together in the AX era.”