KT&G Aims to Accelerate Launch of New Heated Tobacco Innovation Platform

Key Takeaways

• KT&G CEO Bang Kyung-man said the company will maintain stable growth through strategic focus despite a challenging environment.
• The company said it will shift its overseas cigarette business toward profit-led qualitative growth.
• KT&G said it will accelerate the launch of a differentiated R&D-based innovation platform for next-generation products.
• The company said it will strengthen shareholder returns through higher dividends and share buybacks and cancellations.
• All major agenda items at the annual shareholders meeting were approved as originally proposed.

2Firsts, March 26, 2026

According to the Nate, KT&G Chief Executive Officer Bang Kyung-man said at the company’s annual shareholders meeting on March 26 at the KT&G Human Resources Development Institute in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, that although stronger protectionism and a high exchange rate are expected to create a challenging business environment, the company will continue on a stable growth trajectory through strategic choice and focus.

The company plans to improve the profit structure of its overseas cigarette business

KT&G said it plans to qualitatively upgrade the profit structure of its overseas cigarette business in 2026. 

Bang Kyung-man said the company will move beyond simple top-line growth and continue profit-led qualitative growth through more refined country-by-country pricing strategies and the full operation of a “locally completed production system.”

KT&G says it will accelerate its next-generation product platform and strengthen shareholder returns

On next-generation products, Bang Kyung-man said the company will strengthen technological innovation and overseas business capabilities, launch a differentiated R&D-based innovation platform at an early stage, and maximize global partnership synergies to secure a competitive edge in the non-combustible category.

He also said KT&G will actively implement shareholder return policies, including dividend increases and treasury share buybacks and cancellations, in order to share business performance with shareholders and fulfill its responsibility as a leading Korean value-up company.

Image credit: Nate