By Cho Jin-seo
Staff Reporter
SK Telecom Vice Chairman Cho Jung-nam retired Monday, ending his remarkable 42 years at the conglomerate.
Having dedicated his whole career to SK since 1966, Cho is a symbolic figure in South Korea's industrial history. He was one of the longest serving and most established employees at Korean conglomerates along with Yun Jong-yong, CEO and vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, who joined Samsung Group nine months before Cho entered SK.
It is also the first time for SK Group to commemorate a retirement with two ceremonies ― one hosted by SK Telecom CEO Kim Shin-bae on Monday and one to be held by SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won on Tuesday.
Born in 1941 in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, Cho majored in chemical engineering at Seoul National University. Upon graduation, he joined Yukong ― the oil refining subsidiary of SK Group that is now SK Energy ― as an engineer.
After working almost 30 years at the energy firm, he moved to the telecom industry in 1995 when SK became the largest shareholder of Korea Mobile Telecommunications, which is now SK Telecom. He became the firm's CEO in 1998 and was promoted to the vice chairman's position in 2000.
``When I started my career in SK Energy, South Korea was trying to overcome poverty in the aftermath of the Korean War. The chemical and heavy industries were becoming the main engines of Korea's economic growth,'' he said during a farewell ceremony held at SK Telecom's headquarters building in central Seoul, Monday. ``To work at SK at such a time and to share the glory of the nation's economic growth was the best luck I have ever had in my life.''
Cho also said that SK Telecom's adoption of CDMA mobile phone technology is one of the memories he most cherishes. ``The world's first commercial deployment of CDMA was the most daunting task, which we achieved. It was the cornerstone for SK Telecom in becoming a leading company in the global telecommunications industry.''
The ceremony was attended by high-ranking SK Telecom executives including Kim Shin-bae, the incumbent CEO, and was broadcast on the group's in-house TV channel.
``It was my honor to work closely with the vice chairman for more than 10 years,'' Kim said. ``Like Nathaniel Hawthorne's `Great Stone Face,' he is a role model who we should respect and follow.''
Cho also played a leading role in SK Telecom's expansion into China. He has built up a strong partnership between SK Telecom and China Unicom, the No. 2 mobile operator in the world's most populous country.
indizio@koreatimes.co.kr