Conglomerate PR
Officials'Standing Improving

Aimed at ensuring efficient management of corporate and product brands

Conglomerate officials in charge of public relations (PR) have been promoted to president and other higher positions in succession, raising their profile. PR officials'promotion is due to companies'move to cope with a rapidly changing management environment proactively and strengthen a function of public relations in a bid to manage corporate and product brands in an efficient way.
Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) carried out a November 30th a reshuffling calling for the company's career PR official Kwon Oh-kap from executive director to vice president. Vice President Kwon has been in the field of public relations since 1997 when he was charged with a PR position at HHI Seoul Office. He is now also in charge of such jobs as management support, export/import, legal affairs and head of Hyundai Tigers football team.
Koh Myong-ho, managing director in charge of PR at Hansol Business Group, received a promotion to vice president in charge of management support, while Chang Sung-ji, managing director in charge of public relations at Kumho Asiana Group, was promoted to executive director. Chang has been credited with successfully handling external and internal pending issues surrounding the business group's acquisition of Daewoo E&C. Lee Gil-ju, managing director of public relations at KT, was promoted to head the Public Relations Office.
Among the conglomerate PR trendsetters are Kim Jin, president of Doosan Business Group's Public Relations Office, Lee Sun-dong, vice president of Strategic Planning Office at Samsung Business Group, and POSCO President Yoon Seok-man.
Kim became the first PR conglomerate official to receive a promotion to a position of president in August last year. He entered Oriental Brewery in 1978 and since 1984 when he moved to the PR office of the business group, he has been around in the field of public relations.
Samsung Group Vice President Lee has been charged with public relations for Samsung for about 20 years after he inaugurated a PR team of Samsung Electronics. He concurrently serves as chairman of the FKI Economic Public Relations Consulting Committee and chairman of Korea Public Relations Association.
POSCO President Yoon, a seasoned public relations official at the Korean steelmaker, who has been dubbed "Mouthpiece (spokesman) of POSCO'was promoted to president last February.
Also active in the public relations field are Kim Young-soo, president of LG Sports,; LG Vice President Chung Sang-kuk in charge of public relations for LG Business Group and LG Electronics,; Lee Yong-hoon, vice president at Hyundai Motor Co.; Kwon Oh-yong, executive director at Corporate Culture Office at SK Telecom,; Lee Man-woo, managing director in charge of Public Relations Office at SK Corp.,; Shin young-chul, executive director and head of SK Telecom Sports Team.; Cho Choong-lai, vice president of Public Relations Office at SK Telecom; Kim Kwang-tae, executive director at Samsung Electronics Co., and Hanwha Group Vice President Chang Il-hyung, who has been scouted from Samsung Electronics Co. to head the public relations team at the Hanwha business Group.
Public relations executives are said to have a wide range of knowledge about their corporate pending issues as well as CEO's corporate philosophy and corporate vision. They play bigger roles - integrated marketing activities tailored to comply with customer-oriented management strategies.
Chun Sung-hyun, researcher at LG Economic Research Institute, said, "The rise of public relations officials indicates that public relations has been more differentiated than in the past, and PR officials have been performing such jobs as advertisement and brand management concerning the value of corporate and product brands and communications, going beyond the previous role of maintaining better ties with media people." nw

Kwon Oh-kap, vice president in charge of PR at HHI

Cho Choong-lai, vice president of Public Relations Office at SK Telecom

Chang Sung-ji, executive director in charge of PR at Kumho-Asiana Group

Koh Myong-ho, vice president in charge of management support at Hansol Group