SK Group is intensifying its restructuring efforts, targeting its core organizations, including the SUPEX Council—the group’s strategic command center—and the SK Management and Economic Research Institute, a research arm directly overseen by Chairman Chey Tae-won. The initiative is designed to streamline operations, reduce workforce redundancies, and reallocate top talent to its affiliates to drive stronger business results.
According to a company insider on Nov. 20, the SUPEX Council has begun conducting individual interviews with selected employees as part of its downsizing process. Staff members leaving the council, which is composed of employees seconded from various SK subsidiaries, will return to their original positions within their respective companies.
Founded in 2013, the SUPEX Council functions as SK Group’s highest decision-making body. Chaired by Chey Chang-won, Vice Chairman of SK Discovery, and a cousin of Chairman Chey Tae-won, the council once had a workforce of approximately 150 but now operates with around 100 members after recent restructuring and personnel cuts.
The SK Management and Economic Research Institute is also undergoing a downsizing process. Of its current 50 researchers, around 10 are expected to be reassigned to other affiliates. While traditionally focused on macroeconomic and policy research, the institute plans to expand its role by offering management consulting services to SK subsidiaries.
“These organizations are home to some of the group’s most accomplished professionals and leading experts,” an SK Group official said. “The restructuring reflects a strategic shift to reposition talent where it can create the most value, helping affiliates explore growth opportunities and address underperforming areas.”
This latest round of changes is part of a broader reform initiative aimed at improving operational efficiency across SK Group. Last month, the conglomerate announced plans to cut its executive workforce by 20%. On Nov. 1, it launched a newly merged entity combining SK Innovation and SK E&S. Meanwhile, leadership changes have been implemented at underperforming subsidiaries such as SK Ecoplant, where several executives have been replaced or stepped down.
