LG Chem CEO Kim Dong-chun said the company faces an urgent situation as artificial intelligence-driven market shifts and geopolitical uncertainty reshape competition, urging employees to adopt what he described as a “burn-the-bridges” mindset, leaving no room for retreat.
In a New Year’s message to employees on Monday, Kim cited rapid changes in industries such as semiconductors, robotics and autonomous driving, a structural imbalance in which supply exceeds demand, as well as rising geopolitical risks. “Amid these changes, we witness the emergence of new competitors and a reshuffling of corporate rankings,” he said.
Kim said LG Chem must push high-margin businesses closely aligned with customer needs, even in areas with high technological barriers. He warned against pursuing short-term gains by following market trends, saying the company must instead reshape its business portfolio to secure long-term competitiveness.
He said the company will clarify strategic priorities to concentrate limited resources on new growth initiatives. While continuing to invest in early-stage technologies, LG Chem plans to reallocate capital toward areas where it has stronger competitive advantages to improve the likelihood of success.
Kim also called for changes in the way employees work to accelerate innovation, including adopting agentic AI across sales, manufacturing and development fields. He said the company will also introduce objectives and key results, or OKRs, to drive ambitious, companywide goals and strengthen cross-functional collaboration to deliver measurable outcomes.
andreahaneu@heraldcorp.com
![[Exclusive] Ateez to return in November](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/09/02/news-p.v1.20260902.76162fb0ba55493aad1c076f240d0750_R.jpg?type=h&h=120)