"If there is no wind, we row the boat to reach the destination!"
By Feature Editor Kim Hyung-dae
Chairman Seung-Yeon Kim of the Hanhwa Business Group in Korea declared, “If there is no win, we row the boat successfully reach our destination!” In a New Year Address he published on the New Year’s Day, Chairman Kim said, “We will
move forward into the future through constant challenge and innovation and I'm glad to say that we have you, our Hanwha family, to row the boat with.”
Details of the speech of Chairman Kim follow:
On the occasion of the Year of Gapjin (or Year of Blue Dragon), may all your wishes come true.
In the past year, despite the still challenging business environment, we have continued to build on our strengths and move forward into the future, all thanks to the efforts of each and every member of the Hanwha family.
Amid the triple difficulties of high interest rates, high inflation and low growth, the market is facing repeated crises that threaten its survival. It is a harsh reality that even 100-year old business companies can go out of business in an instant.
In times such as these, it takes a different and innovative endeavor from Hanwha to not just survive, but to become a global champion. We need to become a Great Challenger, a company that constantly challenges itself and innovates to achieve different goals.
As a Great Challenger, we will go beyond the existing framework and build a sense of differentiation and ownership in all of Hanwha's business spheres.
The existing core businesses are the strong pillars that support the group, and it's easy to get stuck in a rut of long-standing practices and conformity.
That's why it is imperative that we shake up the status quo and challenge the status quo. Let's make a difference in all realms of our business and consistently deliver results that are one step ahead.
The new businesses that will shape the future of the group are highly uncertain, so everyone needs to be more engaged and take an ownership attitude.
There are no shortcuts and the goal is not near, but if we take a long-term view and execute without delay with a strong sense of responsibility, meaningful results will surely follow.
Let's all be Great Challengers and become leaders in innovation to seize future opportunities.
Seizing future opportunities starts with squarely facing the reality. Complacency is the biggest obstacle to our great journey.
We must take a hard look at the past performance of our businesses across the Group to see if it was driven by changes in the market.
We must create Hanwha's own innovations that can ride the market's turbulent waves, even in an unfriendly environment. These innovations, together, will propel us to become a No. 1 company that no one else can match.
As the saying goes, "If there is no wind, row the boat," Hanwha's Great Challengers will move forward into the future through constant challenge and innovation. I'm glad to say that we have you, our Hanwha family, to row the boat with.
Let's make a strong start to another milestone year for Hanwha. Thank you.
January 2, 2024
Chairman Seung-Yeon Kim of the Hanwha Business Group