A woman technician who worked for 41 years in the blast furnace management department that makes molten iron at Pohang Steelworks met President Lee Jae-myung on the 4th to mark Trade Day. Founding staff of the steel company who took part in building the steelworks and technicians honored with the title "Master Artisan of Korea" were also recognized for their contributions.
According to the steel industry, the government invited industrial stalwarts from each sector and held a luncheon roundtable that day. The event was arranged to encourage the industrial sector facing difficult conditions such as the global economic downturn and changes in the trade environment and to commend their hard work. Former and current workers from the front lines of industries such as steel, shipbuilding, and construction took part in the event.
From the steel industry, 10 people attended, including POSCO founding staff member Lee Young-jik; POSCO's Bae Jin-chan, head of the HyREX hydrogen-reduction ironmaking initiative; former Hyundai Steel foreman Lee Gwang-taek; and former POSCO Director Kwon Chun-hee.
Founding staff member Lee Young-jik joined Pohang Iron and Steel in 1968 and served as the first head of the water supply section at Pohang Steel and as deputy head of the civil engineering department. Lee was a key figure who took part in the construction of Pohang Steelworks and laid the foundation for Korea's steel industry.
Team leader Bae Jin-chan is a technology innovation expert driving the development and commercialization of HyREX, a next-generation eco-friendly steelmaking process that uses hydrogen instead of coal.
Former foreman Lee Gwang-taek worked in the steel industry for more than 40 years and was awarded the titles Master Artisan of Korea, National Quality Master Artisan, and Chungcheongnam-do Master Artisan.
Former Director Kwon Chun-hee is a woman technician who retired after working 41 years in the blast furnace management department, known as the heart of a steelworks. In the core ironmaking department, Kwon handled administration and public relations for 25 years.
A steel industry official said, "Former Director Kwon is from the operations (production) department and can be called a living witness of Pohang Steelworks and the ironmaking department."
Bae, who is developing HyREX technology, said, "Hydrogen-reduction ironmaking, a decarbonized steel technology, is a next-generation innovation that can have a major impact on the competitiveness of the entire national industry beyond the steel sector," adding, "We will work with the government to ensure hydrogen-reduction ironmaking is commercialized and contributes to national development."
POSCO plans to build a HyREX demo plant with an annual capacity of 300,000 tons (t) by 2028 and to secure foundational technologies for commercialization design by 2030.