The board-approved program aims to inject capital market confidence and solidify the company’s long-term value proposition. By retiring these shares, KT&G continues its aggressive capital return strategy, having already exceeded its 2024–2027 goal of retiring 20% of outstanding shares earlier this year when it canceled KRW 1.8 trillion in treasury holdings.

Financial momentum remains high, with consolidated revenue reaching KRW 3.4052 trillion during the first half of 2026. Growth in overseas cigarette sales and next-generation products allowed the firm to raise its interim dividend to KRW 2,000 per share. These results have drawn significant attention from global institutional investors, including Capital Group and BlackRock, which now hold 8.22% and 6.15% stakes respectively. A new long-term return policy is expected in the fourth quarter to further detail dividend improvements.