Kyobo Life chairman’s son takes helm of enterprise-wide AI transformation
Shin Jung-ha, executive director of Kyobo Life / Courtesy of Kyobo Life
Kyobo Life Insurance is stepping up its artificial intelligence transformation (AX) and digital business push by placing a third-generation owner in a leading role, as AI emerges as a critical competitive edge in the financial industry, the company said Thursday.
The firm named Shin Jung-ha, an executive director and the eldest son of Kyobo Life Chairman Shin Chang-jae, as head of enterprise-wide AX support and group management strategy as part of its regular leadership reshuffle on Monday.
“In his new role, Shin will take charge of developing and coordinating AX strategies for Kyobo Life and the group as a whole, while boosting the effectiveness of AI projects led by business divisions,” a Kyobo Life official said.
Born in 1981, Shin previously headed the digital innovation new business team at Kyobo Information & Communications, now Kyobo DTS. He joined Kyobo Life in 2022 and has since played a key role in shaping the group’s digital transformation strategy. He was promoted to executive director last year.
Kyobo Life’s latest reshuffle is widely seen as a clear signal that the insurer is positioning AI as a central pillar of its mid- to long-term strategy, while also underscoring its next-generation leadership framework.
As part of the reorganization, the company created an enterprise-wide AX support unit led by Shin and placed four executive-level teams under it — AX strategy, business unit AI support, AI technology and AI infrastructure.
The structure forms an integrated framework overseeing the entire process, from strategy formulation and technological development to on-the-ground deployment. It reflects Kyobo Life’s plan to systematically align AI use across the organization, spanning insurance product development and underwriting to asset management and customer services.
At the group level, Kyobo is increasingly positioning digital capabilities and AI as key drivers of future growth.
Kyobo Life recently became the only Korean insurer to participate in the public testnet of “Arc,” a blockchain network developed by U.S. stablecoin issuer Circle. The move is seen as an effort to validate the technological feasibility of stablecoin-based financial infrastructure in advance and to assess its potential for commercialization once regulations are in place.
At the same time, Kyobo Life is participating in a consortium for a fractional investment distribution platform, pursuing a dual-track strategy to build an integrated financial platform that combines asset management, trust services and insurance.