Honorary professor Kim Ki-chan of Catholic University introduced Korea's "people-centered K-entrepreneurship" at the Centesimus Annus Pro Pontifice Foundation (FCAPP) 2026 international conference held at the Vatican.
In a keynote speech titled "the fifth industrial revolution opened by people-centered K-entrepreneurship," Kim emphasized that in the age of artificial intelligence (AI), corporations and technology should move not in a direction that replaces humans, but in a direction that serves human dignity.
Kim posed the question, "Is capitalism saving people, or are people being used for capitalism?" and explained that the core task of the AI era is not technological progress itself, but the restoration of an economy and management that put humans at the center.
Kim said that if the task of the industrial revolution era was the dignity of workers, the task of the AI era is whether technology will replace humans or serve humans.
Kim presented Korea's experience of economic growth as an example of people-centered entrepreneurship. After the war, Korea, short on resources and capital, grew by educating people and enabling innovation. He cited Nammyung Jo Sik's gyeong (reverence) and ui (righteousness) as the ideological roots of Korean-style entrepreneurship. He explained that gyeong leads to respect and empathy for people, and ui leads to moral responsibility and practice.
Based on this, Kim proposed the "UIT" model. U is understanding people, I is investing in people's growth, and T is trusting people and granting authority. Linking these to empathy, enablement, and empowerment, respectively, Kim said, "People are not an expense but a source of innovation, growth, and hope."
In the speech, Kim introduced Sungsimdang, a local bakery in Daejeon, as a representative case. Sungsimdang began in 1956 by sharing bread with neighbors in need after the war and, from its early days, practiced management that combined sales and sharing. Kim assessed that Sungsimdang is not a simple charitable corporation but a corporation that turned sharing into a driving force for product innovation and growth.
He explained that Sungsimdang grew on the basis of understanding people, investing in products and employees, and trust among members. Through diverse product development and field-centered operations, it attracted customers and maintained high profitability while sharing profits with employees and the local community. Kim said, "Sungsimdang shows the paradox that the more you share, the more you grow."
According to Kim's side, the presentation received positive reviews from participants including Cardinal Silvano Tomasi, ISO President Dr. Khaled Soufi, and former Harvard Law School associate dean Stephen Young. Kim said, "If the fourth industrial revolution is a technological revolution, the fifth industrial revolution must be a revolution of sharing and spirituality," adding, "The more we are in the AI era, the more leadership must be people-centered."
Meanwhile, Kim is a researcher of people-centered entrepreneurship and served as president of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB). Currently, as the international president of President University, Kim is promoting people-centered K-entrepreneurship to the international community.