KT Skylife is expected to face a leadership vacuum. Cho Il (조일), its newly appointed CEO, is reported to be stepping down.

Industry sources said on March 30 that Cho submitted his resignation three days after his appointment. The company held its 25th annual shareholders meeting at its headquarters in Sangam-dong on March 26 and appointed Cho, then a vice president, as CEO.

Cho had been expected to secure continuity in management and maximise business execution based on financial expertise built up as chief financial officer. Cho was appointed an inside director at the March 26 shareholders meeting and was then elected CEO at a board meeting held afterward.

The industry views the move as fallout from a group-level restructuring. Parent company KT will hold its annual shareholders meeting on March 31. Industry analysis says that once new CEO Park Yun-young (박윤영) takes office, there will be a large-scale reshuffle across group affiliates including KT Skylife.

Some analysts say Cho may have felt a kind of pressure during that process. If Cho steps down, KT Skylife will have to hold an extraordinary shareholders meeting to appoint a new CEO. Until then, KT Skylife will be unable to avoid a leadership vacuum.

A KT Skylife official said, "There is nothing confirmed," adding, "We understand there will soon be a group restructuring and personnel changes. We expect matters related to our company will also be decided after that."