LG Uplus CEO Puts Safety First in Push for Reliable Networks
LG Uplus CEO Hong Beom-sik visited a telecom facility in Mapo district, Seoul, where he climbed into a bucket truck to inspect a fiber access unit mounted about five meters above ground. The on-site inspection underscored the company’s focus on the safety of field workers performing maintenance on elevated lines and equipment.
During the visit, Hong told workers that safety is the most important value and should become a core part of the company’s culture. He said he would be prouder in retrospect if there were zero safety accidents during his tenure than if revenue had grown, emphasizing safety over short-term gains.
Hong noted that the experience of being up on a 5-meter lift brought home the real-world challenges faced by field technicians, far beyond what numbers can convey. He said the company should aim to keep workers’ environments safe even as network demands and complexity increase.
Following the inspection, the CEO held discussions with metropolitan-area infrastructure staff about network operations and safety management, reiterating the importance of maintaining high safety standards across the network.
Safety-related spending, Hong argued, should be viewed as an investment rather than a cost, and it should be systematically managed as part of the company’s ongoing push to strengthen fundamentals such as quality, safety and security. He has previously prioritized on-site visits to reinforce these priorities, including a visit to the Daejeon R&D Center and presentation of his approach at the MWC trade show in Barcelona.
The visit signals LG Uplus’s continued emphasis on fundamental network reliability in a global context where AI and advanced technologies are increasing the demand for secure, dependable communications infrastructure. For U.S. readers, this focus matters because Korea’s telecom operators are key players in regional supply chains for equipment, software, and services that underpin cross-border connectivity and digital services.
Starting from this field visit, Hong plans to visit more network sites and customer centers to keep engaging with staff and to continually review the company’s core practices in safety, quality and operations.