Success
in Changing Image

KESCO wins top place among public firms in management evaluation

The Korea Electrical Safety Corp. won the top place in the evaluation of public companies in the area of management reform in June conducted by the government.
President Song In-hoe said the enviable record would not have been achieved without joint effort by every one at the company from top to bottom because the company's president can't do it alone. He said it was catching two rabbits at the same time, public nature and effectiveness, for the company, in explaining the enviable achievement by the company.
He went on to say that managers and employees, the two parts of the company, think differently, they can't achieve any thing. In an effort to unite the company, President Song went out his way. During the smoldering summer days, he sent chicken soups that Koreans traditionally eat to beat the heat in the height of summer to families of employees along with cards, thanking for family members support for the company. The CEO thinks that one of the critical jobs for him is to create harmony between all levels of the company for common goals.
When he become the CEO of the company more than two years ago, the first thing he did was to change the complacent attitudes dominating all levels of the company to make the organization based on reform and the practice of "express fees"prevalent at the time. Some electric technicians received the fee from customers to speed up or ease up checks on electric wirings on buildings, especially, on new ones.
CEO Song even fired a technician who received more than 100,000 won in bribe money to show that the company meant to stop the bad practice because it had been lowering the quality of inspection and transparency, along with the company's image. He also forbade the exchange of gifts during traditional holidays among company employees, especially, between employees and their immediate bosses.
The CEO has also put into practice a number of systems in the operation of the company including the inspection recall system, the rapid complaint handling system, and social contribution activity, to name just a few.
KESCO always struggled in the bottom of over 70 state-owned firms in the measurement of their probity. It no longer is the case since the arrival of CEO Song. The company won the 2nd place in the government management evaluation last year, the best in probity and customer satisfaction among firms affiliated with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy and listed among top 10 percent of those firms in terms of reform. The company made the top in the government management evaluation this year.
Asked if he is still sorry about the stigma attached to him when he was named as the CEO of KESCO as a "parachute president,"meaning that his appointment was politically motivated, and the stigma is still on. He said he doesn't feel sorry now, although he is still called a "parachute president"in the political circles. He said he is a successful CEO by all accounts on an objective evaluation of his performance so far.
President Song said one of the most important matters he has now with his term of office about 10 months to go is to make the inspection on power distribution system to prevent accidents related to the nationwide system, which occurs on the average of 10,000 times per year, a responsibility of KESCO.
"Making reform is like climbing a high mountain. But unlike natural mountains, when you climb on the highest peak of a reform mountain, another new peak higher than the one you climbed appears. Therefore, you can't relax the bridle of reform until the day you retire,"he said.
KESCO is the only professional company dealing with the safety of electricity performing a wide range of work including inspections, checkups, investigation, research, technology development and public relations. The company also performs checkups on power grids in open markets and public places, along with social services for the low-income people and welfare facilities all in line of its work to prevent electrical mishaps from occurring. The company's effort immensely reduced the number of fires caused by electrical mishaps by 18 percent from 2001 to 2005.
From last year, KESCO launched a drive for reform to create an electrical professional culture focused on customer service, results, capability and effectiveness through the restructuring of its organization. The drive has also been aimed at changing the public image of the company to a positive one, getting rid of the negative image as an inspection authority. nw

KESCO President Song In-hoe.