Kakao has finalized the board composition for its newly established subsidiary, Kakao AI, which will be launched through a corporate split. The company is focusing on building a separate decision-making system centered on artificial intelligence (AI) with key appointments in technology, policy, and finance.
According to the split plan disclosed on August 21, Kakao AI's board of directors will consist of four external members: Im Hye-sook, former Minister of Science and ICT; Kim Dae-ji, former Commissioner of the National Tax Service; Oh Seung-pil, former CTO of KT; and Kim Young-jun, a professor at Korea University's Graduate School of Technology Management. This diverse board brings experience in AI, information and communication technology, policy, taxation, and management.
The Kakao AI board will have a total of seven members, including two internal directors, one other non-executive director, and four independent directors. Kakao AI is set to be Kakao's dedicated AI subsidiary, with a temporary shareholders' meeting scheduled for December 17 to address the split.
Jeong Sin-a, who is designated as the representative of Kakao AI, and Shin Jong-hwan, Kakao's Chief Financial Officer, will serve as internal directors. Shin Jeong-hwan, the former Chief Technology Officer of Kakao, will join as the other non-executive director.
Both Oh and Im bring significant expertise in technology and policy within the information and communication and AI sectors. Oh has held positions at NASA's Ames Research Center, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Hyundai Card, leading technology organizations in AI and cloud computing at KT. Im has served as Minister of Science and ICT and as Chair of the National Science and Technology Council, and is currently a professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Ewha Womans University.
Kim, the former Commissioner of the National Tax Service, has experience in tax and administrative fields, having served as the head of the Busan Regional Tax Office and the 24th Commissioner of the National Tax Service. He is currently an advisor at BnH Tax Corporation.
This board composition aligns with Kakao's emphasis on independent management during the corporate split. Kim Do-young, designated representative of Kakao X, stated during a meeting on August 21 that both companies will operate independently according to their business objectives, and that joint organizations like the existing CA Council will no longer be necessary.
Kakao's board met on August 21 and resolved to split the company into Kakao AI and the continuing entity Kakao X. The split ratio is based on net asset book value, with Kakao AI at 0.36 and Kakao X at 0.64. The split is expected to be completed on January 1, 2027, following the temporary shareholders' meeting in December, with Kakao AI set to be relisted in the same month.
Kakao AI will launch as a business connecting AI, advertising, and commerce, centered around KakaoTalk. Kakao plans to separate its subsidiary management functions into Kakao X, allowing Kakao AI to focus its management resources on AI and existing platform businesses.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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