Hyunjoon Lee, CEO of Ssangyong C&E, Receives Prime Minister's Commendation, First in Cement Industry

12 Cement Industry Leaders Awarded by Government for Contributions to Greenhouse Gas Reduction and More

Hyun-Jun Lee, CEO of Ssangyong C&E (current Chairman of the Korea Cement Association). [Photo by Korea Cement Association]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jong-hwa] Hyun-Jun Lee, Executive Officer of Ssangyong C&E, became the first in the cement industry to receive the Prime Minister's Commendation, as government awards were given to 12 executives and employees in the cement industry.

The Korea Cement Association, which includes major domestic cement companies as members, announced on the 10th that 12 industry representatives and executives who contributed to overcoming the crisis and development of the cement industry this year were honored with government awards: one Prime Minister's Commendation, eight Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Awards, and three Minister of Environment Awards.

Since the first awards ceremony in 2017, the government awards have been presented annually at the Korea Cement Association's founding anniversary ceremony at the end of June. However, this year, as last year, the in-person event was omitted to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The notable feature of this year's awardees is that most recipients have recently made efforts to address the paradigm shift in the cement industry, such as serious 'greenhouse gas reduction' due to global environmental issues, and have been recognized for their contributions to solving environmental problems, including improving the safety of recycling resources through cement kilns.

Hyun-Jun Lee, CEO of Ssangyong C&E (currently Chairman of the Korea Cement Association), who received the Prime Minister's Commendation for the first time in the industry, was the first in the domestic cement industry to declare ESG management and led the declaration of 'coal phase-out management' by 2030. Additionally, while serving as chairman of the Korea Cement Association, he co-chaired the Cement Green New Deal Committee, established for the domestic cement industry's transition to a low-carbon economy, greatly contributing to the industry's resurgence. He was also recognized for resolving environmental issues related to the Uiseong waste mountain.

Kim Tae-jin, Manager at Sampyo Cement, received the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award for his contribution to minimizing environmental impact through the application of new mining methods and proper forest restoration. Jung Joon-duk, Executive Director at Ssangyong C&E, was honored for his contribution to the stable supply of 18 million tons of limestone annually for cement and for promoting regional community coexistence and development through mine restoration and tourism site development. Lee Ja-kyu, Director at Hanil Cement, received the award for contributing to the reduction of nitrogen oxide emissions, a type of fine dust, through the advancement of SNCR facilities.

Other recipients of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy and Minister of Environment Awards include Jo In-seok, Director at Hanil Hyundai Cement; Choi Jong-cheol, Manager at Asia Cement; Song Byung-chan, Manager at Sungshin Cement; Chun Pil-chan, Manager at Halla Cement; Lee Jong-gyu, Senior Researcher at Korea Ceramic Technology Institute; Bae Sung-chul, Professor at Hanyang University; Choi Soo-hyun, Manager at Hanil Cement; Shin Chung-ho, Manager at Hanil Hyundai Cement; and Bang Sung-ho, Manager at Sungshin Cement.

A representative of the Korea Cement Association stated, "As the years go by, the role of the cement industry, which respects national development and the happiness of society as a whole, is increasingly demanded. The industry is striving to reduce greenhouse gases through carbon neutrality and to solve the plastic waste crisis," adding, "Government awards will serve as an important motivation for executives and employees and remind the industry of the co-prosperity it aims for in the future."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.