Do you know the company SK? Yes, sure you do!, But we are sure you do not know from who made Seon-kyeong to SK. The main person is Rhee Noh-jong, (Department of Mass Communication 67) Executive Vice President of SK Research Institute for Supex Management, Chung-Ang Herald met him.

CAH: How was your life in SK Corporation?
Rhee: I worked at SK for 32 years. It was 1974 when I entered. That day, SK was managed by 2nd chairman Choi Jong-hyeon. I worked in management planning room as a public relations planer and I also worked as a Spokesman for the Chairman. The time passed by and our company became bigger and bigger.

During IMF, Chairman Choi Jong-hyeon died. It was very sad. My next boss was Son Gil-seung. I work with him for five years. And now I work with the 4th Chairman Choi Tea-won for 2 years. In my 32 working years, I worked as a step for chairman rather than been leader of one company, almost all my working days. Among my 32 working years, 29 years were public relations work, other years was for telecom as a Public Relations Chief. In 2006 February, I also  worked as a head of the in-service training institute for two years.  Now days I work at the SK Research Institute for Super Management,  studying the company’s culture.

CAH: During the whole time you spent in SK, which one was worthy and which was hard?
Rhee: Worthwhile time!!. First of all, when the company had  important changes, I could help my company. I felt very proud. Second, I made ‘One’ unity company CI (Logo). When SK made 3 big companies into one company, we changed and  made one unique brand; to do this, I spent 3 years (1994~1997). It was very hard. However, it was also fruitful.

”Jang ?hak Quiz’ is another thing. When I entered the company, Jang ?hak Quiz had already started six month before. It was the first public benefit campaign program in Korea. Also it was first time that one advertisement owner made all programs and they did not show their advertisement.

I think, it is the reason why Jang ?hak Quiz broadcasted for 30 years. Jang ?hak Quiz also broadcasted in China for six years. It broadcasted on Buk-gyeong TV in golden time. It was no simple example, for China to allow broadcasting the program, which has one company name as a title. It was because we showed it is for public benefit in Korea. These days, Jang ?hak Quiz broadcasts in seven different areas in China.

The  hard time was in the early 1980s. Geol-peu, one of the big oil companies plans to leave Korea, because they weren’t earning much money. So the Korean economy was at risk. We prepared for 10 years, to get oil reserves. And finally we convinced Geol-peu to stay by promising  to support oil prices.


The other hard time was the days, which buy out of “Korea telecom”. When “Korea telecom” came under private management, first we got the other telecom company, but we must return it, because we doubted the president relative was having a personal relationships advantage . However, by the next year, we bought out “Korea telecom” and it became SK telecom.

The recent scandal was the “SK accident” in 2003; when one of our companies was being investigated over the window dressing settlement. In the first situation, I was a spokesman for my group. Every interview was directed to  me. After that case, foreign companies tried to buy out our company. They harassed our company for two years. In those days, I was working in public relations.

CAH: How were your school days?
Rhee: I was busy because I was a PD in UBS (Universal Broadcasting Service). I was 12th of UBS. I made programs while I worked in UBS. Actually, that time was the first moment, that  they created  PD positions. In addition, I was busy in 3~4 grade because I was in ROTC (9th). In those days, I couldn’t work in UBS.

CAH: Is there any teacher that you remember?.
Rhee: Yes there is. I remember Professor Gwak Buk-san, Choe Jun, Im Mun-su. Actually, I entered CAU because of them. They are very popular in mass media field.

CAH: How did you enter SK?
Rhee: I planed to be a PD in my school day. However, my planes were changed because of ROTC. When I was in the military service, I went to Jeong-hoon party, which is the one that makes the army’s public relations. I wrote for the army newspaper . Sometimes I went to Seon-gyeong (SK) because it was my party’s supporter. So they saw me regularly and after I finished the military service. They called me. I took the entering company test and I passed. Finally I entered SK.   

CAH: How would you define the right company?
Rhee: I think the right company is the one that makes people happy and who are concerned with company. Then who are these people who the company should be concerned about? First, our company employees, second, our company’s stock holder, and third is our costumers. The last one is the member of our society. If the company cannot make them happy, it can not operate successfully.

The companies are  members of society. Therefore in capitalism society, companies must work as a nation’s member. The communism has companies which are operated by the nation. In contrast, a capitalism society made a product from a private company. However, they must think in pro of the nation.  Surely it is impossible that one company makes everyone happy. But if the people who the company are concerned about are happy, it means that this company has good management. If these companies are proliferated, Korea will improve its society.

CAH: What do you think about youth unemployment?
Rhee: It occurred because now most people think distribution is more important than growth. However, it is very hard to create a harmony between growth and distribution. Distribution is important. But government must come up with a solution for the unemployment. Actually our distribution is not perfect. So it cannot satisfy everyone. In addition, the growth rate has also decreased.

The result was that the work place decreased too.
Also, government must keep Korean companies from becoming foreign owned companies. If Korean companies are absorbed by foreign companies, they will not recruit Koreans and they will build plants abroad.      

CAH: Do you have any words to students? 
Rhee: I have three things. By having “Paegi”. Think actively and think, “I can do it”. If you think “I can not do that”, you will not do it. Always think positive. Second, take an aggressive approach. If rain falls, snow falls etc, take an aggressive approach. You do not need to complain about a situation. Finally, if you do something, plan to the nail. Plan in detail and do it perfectly. These three things are my advice to youth.   

 His room, contained a lot of books. “Do not say that you have no time. I still study these days.” In August, he will be receiving doctor’s degree from Sung-Kyun Kwan University. He already has a master’s  degree from Seoul National University. Like this, he tries to become even better than before. With a positive mind, he will continue to do his own work..