Employees at Pohang Steelworks Appeal to Stop 'Shaking the Company' Amid Calls for Chairman Choi Jung-woo's Resignation

Since the 16th, over 800 participants from 6 departments have joined

On the morning of the 18th, employees of the Steelmaking Department at Pohang Steelworks are holding a rally.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] Employees of POSCO Pohang Steelworks have voiced concerns over declining morale due to ongoing rallies and protests by certain civic groups following the establishment of the holding company.

According to POSCO on the 18th, starting from the Equipment Technology Department at Pohang Steelworks on the 16th, about 800 employees from six departments participated in a resolution rally. The relay-style rallies by department will continue. The employees appealed, "The malicious slander by some groups is damaging the honor and pride of the employees and their families who are working hard on site," and urged, "Please stop shaking POSCO and excessive defamation."

Additionally, during the morning commute on the 18th, a 'human chain' event was held at the steelworks entrance, led by team leaders responsible for operations. About 500 team leaders joined hands to form a chain from the Hyeongsan Gate to the main gate of Pohang Steelworks. They stated, "To create a 'business-friendly Pohang City' moving toward a greater Pohang, POSCO and Pohang citizens must unite with one heart and one mind."

Chairman Kwon Chung-yeol of the Team Leaders Council, who organized the human chain event, appealed, "This is an emergency situation where some lines in 11 factories at Pohang Steelworks must halt operations, but excessive defamation against POSCO has continued for months, leaving deep wounds in the hearts of employees."

Chairman Kwon also emphasized, "We are Pohang citizens before being POSCO employees," and added, "Pohang and POSCO are not targets for mutual slander and division but a hopeful community that should nurture a new future dream together." Pohang Steelworks employees resolved, "Further baseless and exhausting conflicts and antagonism only hold us all back," and urged, "Let us jointly demonstrate wisdom for coexistence so that POSCO can overcome the waves of the global economic crisis and once again create the Yeongilman miracle."

Team Leader Kwon Oh-seop of the 2nd Cold Rolling Plant said, "With demand cliffs in both exports and domestic markets, inventory is piling up in warehouses," and explained, "The steel market is this severe, and we planned the human chain with the hope that people understand the double hardship POSCO employees are facing due to some groups."

Meanwhile, after the resolution rally and human chain event, POSCO employees delivered a statement from the Team Leaders Council to civic groups, conveying the voices of all employees.

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