[Edaily Reporter Yun Junghoon ] #kt alpha has officially announced its 2026 management strategy, “Shift 2026,” centered on “profitability-driven fundamental growth,” to mark its 35th anniversary. The company aims to evolve into a “Connected Commerce Company” that organically integrates all of its capabilities, going beyond mere structural improvements.

Strengthening Core Business Competitiveness… Differentiated Solutions Like “Integrated Gift Cards” as a Key Strategy

KTCorporation announced that it unveiled this future vision during an internal management strategy briefing held at its headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 8th.

On that day, Park Jeong-min, CEO of KT Alpha, encouraged employees by stating, “Through the profitability-focused structural reforms we have built over the past few years, we have achieved a ‘13-fold increase in operating profit,’ with operating profit expanding from 3.4 billion won in 2021 to 44.2 billion won in 2025.”

He continued, “Building on this solid revenue foundation, it is now time to grow bigger and broader,” and called for strengthening core business competitiveness, advancing AX (AI Transformation), and expanding growth opportunities.

Amid a persistent trend of low growth, the retail market is undergoing rapid transformation centered on mobile and AI. To respond to these trends, KT Alpha has designated 2026 as the first year for building a growth-oriented structure and presented three specific action plans.

First, it will clarify differentiation strategies for its core businesses: T-Commerce (KTCorporation Alpha Shopping) and mobile gift certificates (Giftyshow). KTCorporation Alpha Shopping will maximize product competitiveness by discovering exclusive brands and curated products, while implementing a “Mobile First” strategy that bridges TV and mobile platforms.

Giftyshow plans to launch a “customer-selectable integrated gift certificate”—which consolidates gift certificates that previously had to be purchased separately by brand—in the second half of next year. Furthermore, the company plans to evolve beyond mobile gift certificates into a comprehensive solution platform connecting businesses and customers by strengthening services exclusively for corporate clients, such as “Giftyshow Pro” and “Custom Message Cards.”

Accelerating AX… Data- and AI-Driven Business Innovation

The company is also accelerating its company-wide AX (Artificial Intelligence Transformation). KTCorporation Alpha plans to standardize customer, product, and content data and improve the infrastructure for AI utilization.

Through this, the company will advance AI curation (search, recommendations, and personalization) and introduce real-time customer experience (“Live-like”) sales services. The strategy is to integrate data and AI into the work processes of all employees to boost not only customer service but also the productivity of the entire organization.

Finally, the company will expand business opportunities through shared growth with partners, collaboration with the KTCorporation Group, and the expansion of external partnerships. It will actively link KTCorporation Group assets—such as KT Membership and Genie TV—with its commerce business to create synergies and expand joint growth models with partners. Furthermore, it plans to diversify its mid- to long-term growth portfolio through strategic alliances and investments.

KTCorporation has established “A.C.T as One Team” as its new guiding principle for executing this strategy. This stands for starting with the customer as the top priority, working through AX-based operational innovation, and executing swiftly as a unified team.

CEO Park stated, “Future competition will not be between companies that have more, but between those that connect better,” adding, “We will leap forward as a sustainable company that drives growth for customers, partners, and shareholders alike by realizing ‘Connected Commerce,’ which integrates all of the company’s capabilities.”