[Edaily Reporter Shin Ha-yeon ] “KONA I CO.,LTD. will enhance the competitiveness of its existing business—which has grown primarily around smart cards and payment platforms—while simultaneously cultivating the local circular economy, artificial intelligence transformation (AX), and the cultural economy as new growth engines.”

Cho Jung-il, Chairman of KONA I CO.,LTD., made these remarks on the 30th at the “KONA I Field Trip 2026” event held at The Hanok Heritage in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province. “We will enhance the competitiveness of our manufacturing-based businesses—such as smart cards and digital authentication methods—by integrating iA, Inc., and expand our business scope by connecting blockchain, stablecoins, and tokenized securities (STOs) to our local currency platform,” he said.

Building on the growth of its existing smart card, payment, and local currency businesses, KONA I CO.,LTD. plans to establish an economic ecosystem where funds circulate repeatedly within the region. The company also envisions transitioning to a corporate operating system utilizing its proprietary AI agents and fostering high-end cultural and tourism businesses centered around Daehanok Heritage as its next-generation growth engines.

KONA I CO.,LTD. began its transit card business in 1998 and subsequently developed its proprietary smart card operating system, “KONA,” which is currently supplied to over 90 countries; since 2018, the company has been building a card-based local currency platform. Chairman Cho stated, “For the past 28 years, KONA I CO.,LTD. has been the first to observe how the world is changing and the first to move in that direction,” adding, “KONA I CO.,LTD. will continue to anticipate the trends of the times and act proactively.”

The first growth strategy is to expand local currency into an economic infrastructure that enables funds to circulate repeatedly within the region. For example, the model applied to “Wolchul Pay” in Yeongam County, South Jeolla Province, is designed to pay merchants’ settlement amounts via a business card, encouraging merchants to then spend those funds at other local merchants. This structure increases the frequency of local consumption and amplifies the economic ripple effect, as consumer payments lead to reinvestment by merchants.

The flow of funds and the process of reinvestment are recorded as data on the blockchain. Going forward, the company plans to develop the local currency platform into a comprehensive platform that combines stablecoins and tokenized securities (STOs) to support consumption promotion, increased merchant sales, and the digitization of local assets.

Byeon Dong-hoon, CEO of KONA I CO.,LTD., stated, “Our goal is to expand local currency—which previously ended with a single transaction—into a virtuous local cycle ecosystem where funds are organically reused,” adding, “By integrating stablecoins and STOs into this system, we will complete a virtuous cycle that stimulates consumption and boosts franchisee sales.”

The second growth pillar is the AX business, which transforms corporate operating systems to be AI-centric. KONA I CO.,LTD. is not merely applying generative AI tools to individual tasks; rather, it is building a structure where AI agents directly perform tasks based on the company’s data, work procedures, and permissions.

The Hanok Heritage will be developed as the third growth pillar: a cultural economy platform. Chairman Cho explained that this is not merely a lodging business selling rooms, but a venture that monetizes Korean culture as high-end tourism content by combining Hanok architecture and the natural environment with cultural programs.

Meanwhile, The Hanok Heritage, which will mark its first anniversary this coming September, currently reports that 30% of its guests are international, with an average room rate of 2.23 million won per night for international guests. It is also the only Korean hotel to be named among the Forbes Travel Guide’s Top 100 Hotels in the World. Chairman Cho expressed confidence, stating, “I am certain that the cultural economy business will also become a solid revenue model for the company in two to three years.”

The growth momentum of existing businesses is also supporting investment in new ventures. KONA I CO.,LTD.’s consolidated revenue for the second quarter of this year reached 84.1 billion won, a 25.1% increase compared to the same period last year. Operating profit rose 24.3% to 21.4 billion won, and net income increased 42.5% to 22.2 billion won.

Chairman Cho emphasized, “The more AI cuts off connections between Saramin, the more people seek authentic spaces that satisfy their five senses,” adding, “We will pursue two main pillars: enhancing our services through AI and AX, and building a cultural economy platform through ‘Dahanok Heritage.’”