KT has begun its process to appoint a new chief executive. Industry attention is focused on when the company will release its shortlist. The timing is seen as a key point for assessing what leadership and operating strategy the company will choose amid setbacks.

Industry sources said on Nov. 28 that KT’s director nomination committee has narrowed the 33 applicants to 16. The committee is running an advisory group of external experts in corporate management, industry and leadership and communication.

The advisory group delivers its document review opinions on the candidates to the committee. The committee uses these opinions to narrow the list of candidates.

The industry is watching the shortlist closely. KT must select one final candidate by next month. Before that, it is expected to release a shortlist of three to four candidates. The aim is to disclose the finalists to reduce distrust in the process.

Publishing a shortlist has become customary in KT’s CEO selection. It also serves as an informal stage to gauge reactions from the market and employees.

When former CEO Koo Hyun-mo was first appointed in 2019, a list of eight names was released. It included Koo, former KT President Park Yoon-young, former Seoul Metro CEO Kim Tae-ho, former KT President Lee Dong-myeon, former KT President Choi Doo-hwan, former KT President Lim Heon-moon, former KT President Pyo Hyun-myung and former Information and Communication Minister Roh Jun-hyung.

In 2023, when current CEO Kim Young-sub was selected, three names were released: Kim, Seoul National University professor Cha Sang-kyun and former KT President Park Yoon-young. The shortlist is expected to be released again unless unexpected factors emerge.

Some observers say KT may hold a board meeting early next week to discuss the shortlist. The schedule is tight because the company must name the final candidate within the year. Considering the time needed for the final evaluation, many analysts expect the shortlist around the second week of December.

KT, which experienced an unauthorised small-payment incident, must restore customer trust and stabilise its organisation. In this CEO selection, KT has set management capability, communication skills, industry expertise and vision leadership as key criteria. The KT labour union said the next CEO should be a telecommunications expert who understands KT deeply, adding that the recent hacking incident stemmed from weak technology and internal controls.

An industry official said the shortlist alone may show much about KT’s future direction. The official said the leadership change will be a major turning point affecting KT’s mid- to long-term innovation strategy and its market competitiveness.