Honorary Chairman Choi Chang-gul of Korea Zinc, who built Korea Zinc into the world's No. 1 company in nonferrous metals, died of a chronic illness on the 6th. He was 84.
Korea Zinc said Honorary Chairman Choi, who had been hospitalized and receiving treatment at Seoul National University Hospital in Yeongeon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, died of a chronic illness that day.
By his side at the end were his wife, Yu Jung-geun (former president of the Korean Red Cross), and his son, Korea Zinc Chairman Choi Yoon-beom.
Born in 1941 in Bongsan, Hwanghae-do, the deceased had been with the company since Korea Zinc was founded in 1974. At the time, Korea was a resource-poor country and a barren land for zinc smelting. Yet in just 30 years, he outpaced smelters around the world with more than 100 years of history and grew Korea Zinc into the world's top integrated nonferrous metals company.
Korea Zinc became the world's No. 1 firm that negotiates benchmark treatment charges (TC) with the world's largest mining companies on behalf of smelters worldwide. The deceased is regarded as a "towering figure in the nonferrous metals industry" for elevating Korea's smelting industry to the world's highest level.
Honorary Chairman Choi's funeral will be held as a company funeral for four days starting on the 7th. Vice Chairman Lee Jae-jung of Korea Zinc will serve as head of the funeral committee.
The wake will be held in Room 20 of the funeral hall at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, and the memorial service will be held at 8 a.m. on the 10th.