The top 10 conglomerates in South Korea focused on the keyword “competition” the most in their 2025 New Year’s speeches. This emphasis is seen as a reflection of their intent to overcome the growing uncertainties due to the high exchange rates, rising inflation, and the inauguration of Donald Trump’s second administration by increasing their technological competitiveness.
According to an analysis by CEO Score, a corporate data research institute, on the frequency of words used in the New Year’s speeches, “competition” and “customer” emerged as the most mentioned keywords, each appearing 41 times.
POSCO was the conglomerate that utilized the term “competition” the most, possibly due to the prolonged downturn in the steel industry, stressing the need to enhance competitiveness. POSCO Group Chairman Jeong-Woo Choi highlighted in his New Year’s address that the core of the group’s competitiveness is securing an absolute technological advantage. He emphasized the need to achieve tangible outcomes in overseas growth investments and carbon neutrality for the steel business, and to create sustainable competitiveness through structural innovation in costs. Shinsegae (12 times), SK (6 times), and Hanwha (5 times) also frequently mentioned competition.
Over the past four years, LG Group has focused on “customers” in their New Year’s addresses. LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo stated in this year’s address, “We will deliver essential and exceptional value to future customers with a DNA of challenge and change,” urging the creation of an unimaginable future without LG based on the foundation of customer focus and innovation.
Other frequently mentioned terms included future (35 times), growth (32 times), innovation (31 times), and global (29 times). Many companies highlighted “technology” (27 times), including POSCO (10 times), HD Hyundai (8 times), and Samsung (5 times).
Samsung emphasized “technology” the most in its New Year’s address. Samsung Electronics Vice Chairmen Han Jong-hee and Kyung-tae Lee stressed the importance of securing new growth engines and laying the groundwork for re-emergence based on super-gap technology leadership.
The ranking of “Artificial Intelligence (AI)” jumped from 18th last year to 9th. SK Group mentioned AI 12 times in their address. SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won noted that the global industrial restructuring and market reorganization due to the rapid growth of the AI industry is an irreversible trend, urging all group members to strengthen their capability to apply and utilize AI in actual work to enhance the company’s core business capabilities.
In contrast, “eco-friendliness,” which garnered much attention in line with the ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) management trend last year, disappeared from the top 10 keywords this year.