Hasung C&I entered the IT market with the conviction that information and communication technology would shape the future of industry, even before the 1997 IMF financial crisis. Over the past 30 years, the company has built and operated IT systems for public institutions such as the Ministry of Unification, the National Fire Agency, and the National Tax Service, while also collaborating with the SK Group. Since being named an SK Group 'Happy Partner' in 2005, Hasung C&I has maintained a strong partnership for nearly 20 years.
As of 2025, Hasung C&I has grown to a revenue of 13.5 billion won (approximately $11.3 million) and employs over 150 staff. The company has successfully executed challenging public projects, such as the Ministry of Unification's inter-Korean exchange cooperation system, earning an 'A' rating from SK ClickESG and receiving recognition from the National Assembly's standing committee for three consecutive years, establishing its credibility in the market. Yoon Cheol-han, CEO of Hasung C&I, aims to position the company as a mid-sized IT firm with 'genuine execution capability' even as AI transforms the SI/SM industry.
The following is a Q&A with CEO Yoon Cheol-han.
- Please introduce Hasung C&I.
"Founded in 1997, our company has provided customized total IT services based on extensive project experience and verified technical personnel for nearly 30 years. We have been responsible for building and operating IT systems for public institutions (such as the Ministry of Unification, the National Fire Agency, and the National Tax Service) and the SK Group. Being selected as an SK Group 'Happy Partner' in 2005 allowed us to continue our business through a policy of mutual growth, achieving over 10 billion won in annual revenue and maintaining stable operating profits."
- What was the motivation for founding the company, and what were the most challenging aspects?
"Twenty-nine years ago, we were at a turning point with the rise of PC communication and the early spread of the internet. The belief that information and communication technology and software would determine national competitiveness, along with a spirit of challenge to make the world more convenient through technology, were the core motivations for starting the company. However, just as we were getting on track at the end of 1997, the IMF financial crisis hit, leading many companies to bankruptcy and freezing IT investments. The initial market development and survival became enormous barriers. We had to constantly retrain our workforce to keep pace with rapid technological changes and innovate our business model, while also competing with large corporations for talent, which was always a significant concern for me as a manager."
- What is the key to maintaining partnerships with large companies like SK Group, Hyundai Department Store, and the Ministry of Unification?
"I believe the key lies in our technical flexibility and flawless reliability, which satisfy the stringent demands for technological innovation and efficiency from SK, as well as the rigorous security and procedural transparency requirements from the Ministry of Unification. In particular, since 2005, SK Group has defined its partners as 'partners who create happiness together' following Chairman Chey Tae-won's declaration of 'Happy Partner Management,' fostering a culture of coexistence. Since 2017, after 'Deep Change 2.0,' they have maintained and expanded support systems for partners in the areas of finance, technology, and education for nearly 20 years."
- How does Hasung C&I differentiate itself from large SI companies as a mid-sized IT firm?
"While large SIs provide massive and standardized infrastructure, we differentiate ourselves by offering more flexible and closely tailored specialized services at reasonable costs, leveraging our proven technical capabilities in the public, finance, and telecommunications sectors. We analyze our clients' unique business processes to build customized systems, targeting niche markets that are too small for large SIs and too complex for typical small SIs. Our strength also lies in our commitment to 'responsible management,' ensuring project continuity and rapid response to issues by deploying our own highly skilled engineers with extensive experience."
- What do you attribute to the longevity of a small IT company surviving for over 25 years in the industry?
"Starting with a capital of 200 million won, our growth to 13.5 billion won in revenue can be attributed to four main factors. First, the long-term trust established with large corporations and public institutions. Second, our focus on our core business of system construction and stable maintenance. Third, our quality competitiveness built through flawless project execution, as demonstrated in projects like the Ministry of Unification's inter-Korean exchange cooperation system. Fourth, our commitment to sustainable transparent management, as evidenced by achieving an 'A' rating from SK ClickESG and participating in Save the Children’s 'WESAVE' initiative. I believe our longevity is due to maintaining a mutually beneficial relationship with large corporations based on the trust we have built through our core business and our ability to adapt to ESG and new technologies."
- What prompted IT companies to take ESG management seriously?
"In the past, ESG was seen as the domain of large corporations, but for mid-sized and small IT companies like ours that work closely with large corporations and public institutions, it has become a key indicator for supply chain due diligence and trust-building. To align with major partners like SK Group, we established transparent governance and committed to environmental and social responsibilities as a long-term survival strategy. I believe that our genuine approach to sustainable management, which fosters pride among employees and reassures stakeholders, has led to positive outcomes rather than mere performative management aimed at winning awards."
- How have employees responded to the company's social contribution activities?
"We engage in social contributions with a clear philosophy rather than one-time donations. Through Save the Children’s 'WESAVE,' we contribute to the UN SDGs goals of eradicating poverty and reducing inequality, while also supporting climate crisis response initiatives, thus embodying the values of climate action and land ecosystem conservation. Witnessing the company create tangible changes for the future of the planet and children has fostered a deep sense of connection and loyalty among employees, who feel they are playing a role in creating a better world. We plan to expand our 'employee participation volunteer activities' to allow staff to directly contribute to the community."
- With the announcement of 'Vision 2026,' the company website has been completely revamped. What should Hasung C&I look like in 2026?
"We aim to be a company that proves genuine execution capability, breaking the limitations of small businesses rather than just talking about ESG. This revamp is not just about channel maintenance; it publicly declares our ESG management philosophy. We have fully disclosed our three-year financial information (IR) and established a reporting channel for ethical management to build a transparent management system. We are not settling for the practical limitations of using shared offices; we believe that even small actions, like introducing a minimum unit of carbon neutrality, 'Micro RE100,' and transitioning corporate vehicles to eco-friendly mobility, are the true start of net-zero. In 2026, we aim to publish a 'Sustainable Management Report' that compiles these efforts and demonstrates our achievements through data, establishing ourselves as the most trusted 'ESG model partner.'"
- There are many discussions about AI changing the SI/SM industry. How is this felt on the ground?
"AI is deeply penetrating the coding, infrastructure management, and service planning stages, fundamentally changing the industry landscape. Simple, function-based IT services are becoming obsolete, and only companies that redesign their businesses around AI will survive. However, I believe AI is not eliminating the IT industry but expanding the market. As a CEO, I see three immediate tasks for organizational survival. First, we must redesign our products and business models to be AI-driven, internalizing services that are difficult for general AI to replicate and accumulating unique operational data from clients to create competitive advantages. Second, we need to fully adopt AI-based development environments, allowing developers to focus on architecture design and complex business logic instead of simple coding, transforming our organization into a lean structure where a few key talents can move quickly using AI as a tool. Third, we must shift our evaluation criteria to focus on AI utilization capabilities while establishing security and verification systems to mitigate risks from source code leaks or AI hallucinations."
- How would you define Hasung C&I in ten years?
"I hope it becomes a company where employees manage the business directly, while shareholders fulfill their roles solely as investors."
- What advice would you give to young people entering the IT industry and fellow managers running small IT companies?
"To young people, I would say not to be swayed by technology trends but to trust in their fundamentals and attitude to solve problems thoroughly. Focusing on how to resolve issues rather than what tools to use will allow them to adapt quickly to new technologies. Now is the cheapest time to fail, so I encourage them to take risks and engage directly. To fellow managers, I would advise that in tough market conditions, we should return to the essence of our business, sharpening our core competitiveness. We need to attract talent not with salaries and benefits but through growth experiences. Instead of trying to do everything well, we should deeply penetrate niche markets where we can excel, building exclusive territories and actively engaging with other industry leaders to support one another."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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