POSCO Selects 'POSCO Myeongjang' for 2022... First in Hwaseong and Thick Plate Fields

Gwangyang Steelworks Hwaseong Division Deputy General Manager Kim Jeseong and Pohang Steelworks Heavy Plate Division Manager Lee Youngchun Selected

Vice Chairman Kim Hakdong... "Please Show Exemplary Leadership in Enhancing On-site Competitiveness" Requested

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] POSCO has selected Kim Je-seong, Deputy General Manager of the Hwaseong (Hwaseong) Division in Gwangyang, and Lee Young-chun, Manager of the Thick Plate Division in Pohang, as POSCO Masters for this year.

This is the first time that POSCO Masters have been selected from the Hwaseong and Thick Plate fields.

The POSCO Master system is a program that selects and honors employees who possess world-class technical skills and character. Since its introduction in 2015, POSCO has selected a total of 21 POSCO Masters up to 2021.

The newly selected POSCO Masters received their appointment plaques from POSCO Vice Chairman Kim Hak-dong at the company operation meeting held on July 15.

At the award ceremony, Vice Chairman Kim said, “All 21 POSCO Masters selected since 2015 have achieved excellent results based on world-class technical skills and know-how,” adding, “I hope the two new Masters will lead by example in enhancing on-site competitiveness and take the lead in fostering a culture where all employees strive to become Masters and possess the highest technical skills in their respective fields.”

Kim Je-seong, who joined the company in 1988, is a top expert in coke oven nozzles and combustion management. Possessing comprehensive capabilities in operations, equipment, and engineering, Kim has greatly contributed to improving operational competitiveness by developing coke oven maintenance technology and combustion chamber normalization technology.

Kim said, “Being a POSCO Master is the greatest honor and pride as an employee,” and added, “As the first Master from the Hwaseong Division, I will thoroughly pass on my expertise and know-how to juniors and build the most competitive and eco-friendly coke plant in the world.”

Lee Young-chun, who joined in 1987, is a top expert in thick plate rolling technology, having spread technology at Pohang and Gwangyang Steelworks as well as at Indonesia’s PT.KRAKATAU-POSCO. He has improved equipment to enable the production of competitive high-quality thick plates and minimized operational disruptions by proposing solutions within half a day to chronic equipment troubles that had troubled overseas production bases for weeks.

Lee said, “I am grateful to everyone and my colleagues who helped me during my time at the company until I was selected as a POSCO Master,” adding, “I believe that on-site manpower is POSCO’s competitiveness, and I will strive to make the site robust through learning and technology transfer.”

Employees selected as POSCO Masters receive special rank promotions, five days of special leave, and a significantly increased reward ranging from 20 million to 50 million KRW starting this year. Additionally, they are permanently enshrined in the Hall of Fame at POSCO headquarters in Pohang, which bears the names of founding members, former CEOs, former masters, and current masters.

To date, the POSCO Masters selected are: ▲2015 Son Byung-rak, Kwon Young-guk, Jo Gil-dong, Jo Young-gi ▲2016 Shin Seung-chul, Kim Cha-jin, Kim Seong-nam ▲2017 Seo Gwang-il, Kim Yong-hoon, Nam Tae-gyu ▲2018 Lee Kyung-jae, Bae Dong-seok, Han Byung-ha ▲2019 Kim Gong-young, Oh Chang-seok, Kim Jong-ik ▲2020 Jeong Gyu-jeom, Lee Jeong-ho, Son Byung-geun ▲2021 Kim Su-hak, Son Gwang-ho ▲2022 Kim Je-seong, Lee Young-chun, totaling 23 people.

POSCO plans to continue selecting outstanding technical personnel from the field as Masters to spread an organizational culture that respects technical artisans. By presenting senior and junior colleagues who are active as Masters as role models, POSCO aims to motivate all employees who diligently engage in their work and strive for on-site improvement and technological development to challenge themselves to become POSCO Masters.

Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik hss79@asiae.co.kr

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