[Edaily Reporter Kim Eung-tae] Leading domestic educational publishing companies #Daekyo and #Woongjin ThinkBig are drawing industry attention for their differing approaches to management strategies involving treasury stock. While Daekyo is aggressively investing in new education-related businesses by disposing of its treasury stock, Woongjin ThinkBig has adopted a strategy that combines strengthening shareholder-friendly policies—led by the cancellation of treasury stock—with business efficiency improvements. With the second-generation owners of both companies now at the helm and facing the crisis of declining education demand due to low birth rates, Daekyo is interpreted as focusing on expanding the scope of its education business to secure future growth engines, while Woongjin ThinkBig is placing emphasis on restructuring its business with a focus on profitability.

According to the educational materials industry and the Financial Supervisory Service on the 14th, Daekyo sold 1.8 million shares of its own stock, valued at 2.1 billion won, to its holding company, Daekyo Holdings, on the 28th of last month. Through this sale of treasury stock, the number of Daekyo shares held by Daekyo Holdings, the largest shareholder, increased from approximately 46.17 million to 47.97 million.
Daekyo plans to invest the funds secured from the sale of treasury shares into cultural and arts projects. The company has decided to invest in the “Studio Ghibli Exhibition,” scheduled to open in Jeju Island this coming July. Co-hosted by Daekyo and Daewon Broadcasting, the exhibition will present the animated universe of Studio Ghibli—the Japanese animation studio famous for films such as “Spirited Away”—through an immersive experience.
Daekyo also stated that it is considering investments in “Number Blocks” and “Alpha Blocks,” global educational content intellectual property (IP). “Number Blocks” is a math education animation, while “Alpha Blocks” is an English education animation featuring alphabet characters. Daekyo has previously secured performance rights for these IPs and has produced family musicals based on them.
Last year, Daekyo disposed of approximately 2.25 million of its own shares to pursue a collaboration with the toy company #AuroraWorld through a share swap. A Daekyo official stated, “We are reviewing various measures to strengthen our competitiveness in educational and cultural content,” adding, “We will create synergies in areas such as enhancing the competitiveness of content for infants and children, expanding the use of character IP, and broadening customer touchpoints.”
Daekyo’s series of share disposals is seen as reflecting its intention to expand its business scope into areas linked to its education business. Kang Ho-jun, CEO of Daekyo and the second-generation owner of the Daekyo Group, has been accelerating efforts to expand the scope of the education business since taking office in 2021. He has broadened the target market from infants and elementary school students to seniors, and recently, he has been seeking new growth opportunities by expanding into culture and arts businesses that intersect with the education sector.

In contrast, competitor Woongjin Thinkbig has proactively initiated a share buyback and cancellation program earlier this year, expanding its shareholder-friendly policies and focusing on business efficiency. On March 15 of this year, Woongjin Thinkbig canceled 1.85 million shares worth 15.4 billion won. In addition, to maintain an appropriate number of shares in circulation, the company carried out a 2-for-1 stock consolidation.
Yoon Sae-bom, the second-generation owner and CEO of Woongjin Group, appears to be reorganizing the existing business of Woongjin ThinkBig—the group’s education subsidiary—with a focus on profitability while seeking opportunities in other areas. Analysts suggest that rather than relying on the education business, which faces clear limitations due to declining demand, the company is seeking a breakthrough through its funeral services subsidiary, Woongjin Freed Life. By leading the acquisition of Freed Life—the top funeral service provider at the time—last year, CEO Yoon reduced the proportion of the education business within the group’s overall portfolio. An official from Woongjin ThinkBig stated, “As Woongjin ThinkBig adjusts certain business operations, the effects of cost efficiency and business restructuring are becoming evident,” adding, “We will continue our profitability-focused management strategy based on cost reductions.”