NHN has replaced its technology chief as it seeks to drive a companywide artificial intelligence transformation. It aims to lead a groupwide shift to an "AI-native" structure by putting a veteran with deep experience in infrastructure and security at the forefront.

NHN said on June 11 it appointed Yang Cheol-woong (양철웅), head of the technology division, as its new chief technology officer (CTO).

Yang, who will oversee technology, holds a PhD in computer science from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). He is an engineer who has worked for more than 20 years across areas including internet infrastructure, traffic optimisation and cloud. After joining NHN Cloud in 2022, he served as head of the Security Development Lab research institute and has contributed to advancing the platform.

The company said it judged Yang to be the right person to both raise internal execution speed through development innovation using AI and systemise technology roadmaps scattered across the group. It aims to spread the use of AI across group companies and lay the foundation for a full-scale AX drive.

The new CTO stressed the importance of a sound technical direction in his first message after taking the post. At an in-house town hall meeting on June 10, Yang said, "AI is becoming a colleague we work with, beyond a simple tool." He said, "What matters as much as moving quickly is heading in the right direction, and based on technology strategy and execution capability, I will connect the group’s technological capabilities and create synergy."

NHN also said the appointment marked the end of its executive reshuffle. It said it had completed the build-out of its C-level leadership, consisting of Chief Executive Officer Jung Woo-jin (정우진), Yang as CTO, Chief Financial Officer Ahn Hyun-sik (안현식), Chief Legal Officer Hwang Sun-young (황선영), Chief Human Resources Officer Lee Seung-chan (이승찬) and Chief Game Officer Kim Sang-ho (김상호).

With its leadership lineup in place, NHN plans to draw up a detailed medium- to long-term technology strategy and further expand its market dominance as a technology company.