Former Oracle Korea CEO Wonsik Yoo, KAFHI President: "Business Leaders Must Succeed in Both Work and Spirituality in the Digital Age"
Wonsik Yoo, President of Korean American Food for the Hungry International (KAFHI) and a former IT executive (ex-CEO of Oracle Korea), emphasized the integration of management leadership and spiritual values for Korean Christian business leaders and young entrepreneurs in the rapidly changing Washington D.C. area on October 9.
Participants from the KCBMC Eastern Federation and KAFHI take a group photo after the seminar on 'Work and Spirituality.'
Wonsik Yoo, President of Korean American Food for the Hungry International (KAFHI) and a veteran executive (former CEO of Oracle Korea), delivered a profound message at a recent special seminar for Christian business leaders in the Washington D.C. area, emphasizing the 'integrated leadership of work and spirituality' essential for the rapidly changing digital era. Drawing on his rich experience in leading Korean IT firms, including Oracle, HP, and Samsung Electronics, President Yoo diagnosed the current digital age as a period of intense upheaval marked by simultaneous revolutions in time, space, and humanity. He asserted that all executives must continually learn and adapt to avoid falling behind technological advancements. In this volatile environment, he cited 'Communication, Competency, Character, Passion, and Sharing' as the five core virtues enterprise leaders must embody.
In particular, President Yoo underscored the importance of 'humanistic insight' beyond mere technical understanding. He advised that since "technology advances quickly, but winning people's hearts remains difficult," managers must possess humanistic knowledge to grow into true leaders. He emphasized that this humanistic understanding serves as the compass for management decisions and is the source of human strength that guides an organization.
During the lecture, President Yoo deeply connected with the audience by sincerely sharing his personal pain and journey of faith. He confessed his experience of transitioning from worldly values to a life following God's will after losing his young son to illness. He testified that the realization that "love and service, not money, truly enrich human beings" became a turning point in his life, adding that the suffering ironically transformed him. His confession that the humility and gratitude he learned through that complicated process made him who he is today resonated powerfully with the attendees. President Yoo’s lecture clearly conveyed the message that true managerial success and spiritual abundance can only be achieved when technological leadership is combined with spiritual maturity.
Leaders from the KCBMC (Korean Connecting Business and Marketplace to Christ) Eastern Federation and its local chapters encouraged attendees to develop spiritual leadership in their workplaces, expressing high expectations for the lecture.
Kim Hyung-joo, President of the KCBMC Eastern Federation, emphasized in his welcome speech: "What CBMC pursues is not merely business success, but harmonizing work and faith to practice the values of service and sharing, even amidst excellence." He expressed his hope that attendees would unify their vision and mission to become a community that actualizes God's will in their respective workplaces.
Sylvia Son, President of the CBMC Fairfax-Y Chapter, which hosted the seminar, conveyed her welcome: "It is very meaningful to have President Yoo Won-sik, who deeply resonated with us at the Seattle convention, here in Washington again. We hope today's lecture will be a time of new spiritual inspiration for attendees to practice their faith and serve God in the workplace."
Furthermore, Kang Go-eun, KCBMC Director (CEO of Omni Financial), stressed that "The core mission of CBMC is to 'Bring God into the business world,'" and added her expectation that President Yoo's philosophy would serve as a catalyst for each person to further grow in their faith and life through this event.
Kim Hyung-joo, President of the KCBMC Eastern Federation
Sylvia Son, President of the CBMC Fairfax-Y Chapter
Kang Go-eun, KCBMC Director (CEO of Omni Financial)
