Despite a Tough Life, 'An-gang Halbae' Obtained Materials to Engrave Names on Mechanical Pencils... Why Pohang Steelworks Helped Him

As Overseas Children's Gift Shipments Increase, Equipment Technology Department Employees Step Up to Create Processing Machines

On the 30th, Pohang Steelworks visited Jisan Workshop in Gyeongju and presented Mr. Jeong Dong-moon, known as 'Angang Halbae,' with a woodworking cutting device independently manufactured by the Equipment Technology Department.
[Image source=POSCO Pohang Steelworks]

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Yeo Jong-gu] The Equipment Technology Department of POSCO Pohang Steelworks rolled up their sleeves for a beautiful act of sharing.

On the 30th, Pohang Steelworks visited Gyeongju Jisan Workshop and presented Mr. Jeong Dong-moon with a sharp pencil manufacturing processing machine that the Equipment Technology Department had independently produced.

Since December 2007, Mr. Jeong has been personally making and gifting about 200 wooden sharp pencils engraved with each child's name every month to children at local community centers.

Known as the ‘Angang Halbae’ (Grandfather of Angang), he is also a basic livelihood security recipient. He saves government subsidies to purchase materials for making the pencils.

Recently, he has expanded his sharing beyond the local area to children overseas. He received a request from an overseas underprivileged children aid association to produce 7,500 pencils by the end of the year.

However, making each pencil by hand was an overwhelming request for him. Struggling to meet the quantity, Pohang Steelworks extended a helping hand.

Representatives from Pohang Steelworks visited the workshop to discuss ways to facilitate pencil production and decided to personally manufacture and install a sharp pencil processing machine at Jisan Workshop.

The Equipment Technology Department of Pohang Steelworks participated. The newly installed semi-automated woodworking cutting machine was designed to be suitable for making sharp pencils, enabling the production of consistently high-quality products.

Additionally, the processing time per pencil, which used to take about 3 minutes, was reduced to under 30 seconds, significantly shortening the working time. Mr. Jeong expects to fulfill the promised quantity by the end of the year using the new machine.

Mr. Jeong Dong-moon expressed his gratitude, saying, “The machine I used before was made by roughly estimating dimensions with my eyes and hands, so the quality was inconsistent, and it was burdensome to work for long hours with my chronic illness. Thanks to Pohang Steelworks for making the cutting machine, I can now make gifts for the children much more easily.”

Lim Ji-woo, head of the Equipment Technology Department at Pohang Steelworks, said, “Despite difficult circumstances, Mr. Jeong’s act of sharing by gifting writing instruments to children is exemplary to our employees. We are pleased to be able to support this beautiful gesture with Pohang Steelworks’ equipment manufacturing capabilities.”

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