Korea Iron & Steel Association (KOSA) held the 27th anniversary of Steel Day at Seoul Lotte Hotel on June 9.
Amid sluggish domestic demand, a global supply glut and the spreading of protectionist policies, the Korean steel industry presented major tasks, such as value-added and low-carbon transition, countermeasures against protectionist policies and shared growth between raw materials and demand companies.
Among about 250 people on hand at the event were Vice Minister Moon Shin-hak of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, KOSA Chairman Jang In-hwa, POSCO President Lee Hee-geun, President Lee Bo-ryong of Hyundai Steel, President Choi Sam-young of Dongkuk Steel, Chmn. Kwak Jae-sun of KG Steel, Vice Chmn. Lee Hwi-ryeong of SeAH Steel, Vice Chmn. Hong Suk-pyo of Kiswire, and Vice Chmn. Cho Suk-hee of Tcc Steel.
During the event, 31 people who have contributed to the development of the steel industry were awarded with orders and other government prizes while five others were honored with Steel Awards for their contribution to steel technology and development.
The Order of Industrial Service Merit, Silver Tower went to President Park Hoon of Husteel.
He was credited with ramping up the competitiveness of the steel industry by expanding production capacity through technology upgrades and business portfolio diversification, introducing the latest equipment and exploring overseas markets.
Senior Executive Vice President Kim Dong-hoon of Kiswire was honored with the Industrial Service Medal in recognition of localizing proprietary technologies in the special wire sector and developing new materials.
Vice President Kim Yong-hee of Hyundai Steel was presented with the Presidential Award for upgrading mass production of quality steel plates for automobiles and reinventing all processes.
Cho Jin-seok, overseeing special steel at SeAH Steel, and Jung Ji-in, a senior with Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology, each were awarded with the prime minister’s prize, while 25 others, including Um Hae-cheol, head if Dongkuk Steel’s Pohang Branch, won the MOTIR minister’s award.
The Steel Technology Grand Prize went to Park Min-hoo, a senior researcher with Hyundai Steel while Lee Sang-hwi, a part chief of POSCO was honored with the Steel Function Grand Prize.
Suh Young-woo, a special steel department chief with SeAH Steel, Park Jae-yong, a vice senior researcher with Dongkuk CM and Han Woong-hee, a senior researcher with POSCO, each were presented with the Steel Technology Excellence Award.
In his commemorative speech, KOSA Chmn. Jang said, “Amid uncertainties, such as sluggish domestic demand, global supply glut and protectionist moves, our steel industry is faced with a task – successful decarbonization transition.”
Chmn. Jang said, “Not only the industry but also the government will join forces to protect the ecosystem of the steel industry, accelerate efforts to shift into value-added and low-carbon products and promote win-win cooperation between raw material and demand companies.”
In his speech MOTIR Vice Minister Moon said, “The steel industry is a core industry that buttresses the competitiveness of Korea’s manufacturing industry, and the government will do its utmost to support low-carbon and value-added transition, crate a stable export environment and ramp up the competitiveness of the industry through improving of the industry’s fundamentals.”
Steel Day was designated to celebrate the production of Korea’s first molten iron by a furnace with Pohang Steelworks on June 9, 1973.
A Steel Day anniversary event has been observed annually since 2000 to promote solidarity among steelmakers and raise their pride.
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