This work develops a simulated annealing (SA)-based multi-cycle optimization framework that simultaneously optimizes multiple control rod (CR) design variables — bank layout, absorber type, insertion order, and overlap length — for the soluble boron free (SBF) innovative SMR (i-SMR) core under development in Korea. A composite cost function is formulated incorporating constraint penalties on five parameters evaluated at each cycle, an objective penalty on the cycle-sum of a user-selected parameter, and a regulating bank layout penalty. The SA optimizer is directly coupled with the MASTER-4.0 nodal diffusion code for automated multi-cycle core evaluation using the DeCART2D/MASTER code system. In the SA search space, gray rods having reduced CR worth are included as CR absorber options to mitigate the distortions of power distribution caused by regulating bank movements. SA optimization is performed independently with five different objective parameters, and the resulting designs are compared with each other to examine the framework's generality across different optimization objectives. Among these, the multi-cycle sum of the Axial Shape Index variation (ASIvar=ASImax − ASImin within a cycle) is identified as the most balanced objective. The corresponding SA-optimized design is then compared in detail with the reference CR design over four cycles, achieving improvements in core safety parameters with a total cycle length gain of approximately 74 EFPD, while satisfying all safety constraints including cold zero power (CZP) subcriticality criteria. These improvements are attributed to the optimized CR design (bank layout, absorber type, insertion order, and overlap length) identified by the proposed CR optimization framework.