SK hynix CEO Kwak Noh-jung said Friday the company must look beyond market leadership and aim to become a top-tier global firm, as competition intensifies in the artificial intelligence era.
In a New Year's message to employees, Kwak said 2025 marked a record year for the company, delivering its strongest performance to date and achieving clear growth in both scale and quality.
"The results were possible because employees and management focused on their capabilities as one team, supported by consistent backing at the group level," Kwak said, expressing gratitude to employees as well as shareholders and other stakeholders.
As one of the leading memory chip makers in the world, SK hynix posted cumulative revenue through the third quarter last year of 64.3 trillion won ($44.5 billion) and operating profit of 28 trillion won. The operating profit figure had already surpassed the company's previous annual record of 23.4 trillion won, set in 2024.
Kwak said the company now faces a new phase, noting that AI-driven demand -- which exceeded expectations -- has become a structural feature of the market rather than a temporary boost.
"AI demand is no longer an unexpected upside, but a constant," he said, adding that competition is intensifying as SK hynix is increasingly recognized as a leader in key segments. "The roles and responsibilities expected of us are greater than ever."
The CEO said the company's long-term ambition is not merely to be ranked first, but to serve as a trusted partner that places customer satisfaction at the center of its business while contributing to a society of sustainable development.
"Our ultimate direction is to go beyond being No. 1," Kwak said.
Corporate culture is also important, Kwak said, stressing the need to maintain a balance between the bold, challenge-oriented "SUPEX" mindset -- SK Group's core management principle -- and a humble approach based on constant self-review, alongside close collaboration across the group.
In the rapidly shifting AI environment, Kwak said differentiated competitiveness will hinge on speed, urging accelerated development of advanced and next-generation products and quicker deployment of AI across operations.
herim@heraldcorp.com
