HD Hyundai said on the 10th that it produced two Republic of Korea master artisans at the 2025 Skilled Technicians' Day, becoming the first in the shipbuilding sector to produce a father-and-son pair of master artisans.
The HD Hyundai-affiliated master artisans selected at this year's Skilled Technicians' Day are Ko Min-cheol, an engineer at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, and Yu Dong-seong, a technician at HD Samho Hyundai. They were selected as master artisans in the plate metal fabrication and mechanical maintenance trades, respectively.
Among them, Engineer Ko Min-cheol is the son of the late master artisan Ko Yun-yeol, who worked at HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. Since joining the company in 2012, Ko passed through the Plant Equipment Production Department and is now working in the SMR·ITER Production Department as the production team lead for the manufacture of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor.
Ko introduced a three-dimensional measuring device, the laser tracker, to sites requiring a high degree of precision and applied it to quality measurement of fabricated structures, achieving results that raised both productivity and precision.
Ko's father, master artisan Ko Yun-yeol, joined HD Hyundai Heavy Industries in 1978 and worked for 40 years in the production of shipbuilding and offshore steel structures. During his tenure, he worked at sites including the Jubail Industrial Port in Saudi Arabia and the Donghae Gas facilities, and in 2004 he was selected as a Republic of Korea master artisan in the plate fabrication trade.
Technician Yu Dong-seong was selected as the first Republic of Korea master artisan since the founding of HD Hyundai Samho. Since joining Halla Heavy Industries (the predecessor of HD Hyundai Samho) in 1994, Yu has worked at various sites starting with the construction of the Yeongam Shipyard. He is credited with systematizing and establishing the core mechanical equipment system for launching ships produced by onshore construction methods.
An HD Hyundai official said, "The on-site technical prowess and noble craftsmanship are a precious asset that HD Hyundai must preserve," adding, "We will continue to support the best skilled workers so they can grow with pride."