KT Corp 2025 Profit Triples to KRW 2.47 Trillion on AI Growth

Seoul, South Korea — KT Corp (KRX: 030200, NYSE: KT) reported on Tuesday that its consolidated operating profit for the full year 2025 increased 205.0% year-on-year to KRW 2.47 trillion (US$ 1.87 billion).

Consolidated revenue rose 6.9 percent to 28.24 trillion (US$ 21.35 billion), while net income reached 1.84 trillion (US$ 1.39 billion), a 340 percent increase from the previous year.

The company attributed the profit growth to gains from a real estate development project, the Gwangjin-gu Lotte Eastpole Apartment, as well as growth in its cloud and business-to-business divisions.

On a separate basis, KT’s operating profit rose 276.6% to KRW 1.31 trillion (US$ 0.99 billion).

Operating expenses for the year were nearly flat at 25.78 trillion (US$ 19.49 billion), a 0.6% YoY increase.

Labor costs decreased 18 percent to 4.59 trillion (US$ 3.47 billion), offsetting a 13 percent rise in selling expenses to 2.72 trillion (US$ 2.06 billion).

The company's wireless division reported service revenue of 6.85 trillion (US$ 5.18 billion), up 3.3 percent from a year earlier.

Total wireless subscribers reached 28.99 million at the end of 2025, with 5G penetration at 82 percent of the handset base.

Broadband revenue grew 1.9% to KRW 2.53 trillion (US$1.91 billion), with 10.17 million subscribers, 70% of whom use high-speed GiGA services.

KT Cloud reported a 27 percent revenue increase to KRW 997.5 billion (US$0.75 billion) following higher data center utilization by global clients.

The subsidiary opened its 26MW Gasan AI Data Center in November 2025. In the B2B sector, AI and IT revenue rose 3.1% to KRW 1.14 trillion (US$ 0.86 billion).

KT Estate revenue grew 15.9% to KRW 719.3 billion (US$ 0.54 billion), while BC Card revenue declined 4.5% to KRW 3.64 trillion (US$ 2.75 billion).

The board of directors has nominated Yoon-young Park as the next chief executive, with the appointment subject to approval at the company’s annual meeting in 2026.

KT announced a fourth-quarter dividend of 600 won per share, bringing the total 2025 dividend to KRW 2,400 (US$ 1.81) per share, a 20 percent increase from 2024.

The company also executed KRW 250 billion (US$ 0.19 billion) in share buybacks and cancellations during the year.

Financial targets for 2028 include a consolidated return on equity of 9-10 percent and an operating profit margin of 9 percent.