Korea Line Corporation, an affiliate in the shipping division of SM Group, said on the 4th that it earned an overall B grade in the 2025 regular ESG assessment released by the Korea Institute of ESG Standards.
The overall B grade marks an improvement of two notches from the overall D grade in the previous year. Among the categories, the environmental and social categories both received A grades, showing a significant improvement from last year's C and D, respectively. In governance, it also rose one level from the previous year to a C grade.
First, in the environment category, efforts such as expanding eco-friendly vessels centered on liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers and LNG bunkering vessels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by introducing fuel efficiency optimization technologies earned strong marks.
In the social category, it received an A grade as a result of creating a safety-centered work environment by advancing seafarer safety programs and steadily carrying out social contribution activities such as plogging and helping neighbors.
In governance, Korea Line Corporation explained that strengthening internal controls through the board of directors and the audit committee, and establishing an ESG committee within the board in March to systematically build an ESG management system, served as positive evaluation factors.
Korea Line Corporation laid out plans to achieve visible results by advancing ESG management, as SM Group Chair Woo Oh-hyun emphasizes "happy management" as a core vision for the values of mutual growth, co-prosperity, and sharing.
Lee Dong-su, CEO of Korea Line Corporation, said, "The upgrade in our ESG rating means that, in addition to the ESG management stance being promoted companywide at SM Group, the three goals set by the company—transitioning to an eco-friendly shipping company, creating a work environment centered on safety and human rights, and realizing transparent and responsible governance—have rapidly entered the main track."