Choi Tae-won: "Now a 'Regional Great Transformation' is Needed... A 'Program' is Required to Solve Climate and Energy Issues"

SK and Ulsan Chamber of Commerce to Hold '2022 Ulsan Forum' in Ulsan on the 26th
SK Chairman Chey Tae-won, Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom, and Over 500 Participants from Various Sectors

Topics Include Eco-friendly Transition of Ulsan Manufacturing and Creation of Social Value in the Local Community

Chairman Chey Tae-won of SK Group (center), Vice Chairman Kim Jun of SK Innovation (ninth from the left), and Chairman Lee Yoon-chul of Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (eleventh from the left) are taking a commemorative photo after the closing of the 2022 Ulsan Forum. Photo by SK Innovation

Choi Tae-won, Chairman of SK Group, is answering questions at the 2022 Ulsan Forum held at the Ulsan Exhibition & Convention Center on the 26th. Photo by SK Innovation

[Asia Economy (Ulsan) = Reporter Jeong Dong-hoon] "I hope the Ulsan Forum will serve as a starting point to find solutions for the 'regional transformation.'"

On the 26th, SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won visited the 'Ulsan Forum,' held in Ulsan where SK laid the foundation of its business, to jointly consider regional issues. Chairman Chey expressed his affection by saying that he has frequently visited Ulsan since the 1970s with the late Chairman Chey Jong-hyun, and emphasized the need for a 'regional transformation.' Regarding the gap between the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas, Chairman Chey advised, "You cannot find a solution by looking at it from only one angle; it must be considered comprehensively," adding, "For the transformation, we must first decide what to sacrifice and what to gain, and a 'program' that moves forward with social consensus is necessary."

SK Group announced on the 27th that the '2022 Ulsan Forum,' held simultaneously online and offline at the Ulsan Exhibition & Convention Center the previous day under the theme 'ESG (Environment, Society, Governance), Opening the Future of Ulsan,' concluded successfully.

The Ulsan Forum was held for the first time this year by SK in collaboration with the Ulsan Chamber of Commerce and Industry to solve various social issues in the Ulsan region and explore sustainable growth strategies. The forum was attended in person by SK executives including Chairman Chey Tae-won, who also serves as the Chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry, SK Innovation Vice Chairman Kim Jun, Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom, and Ulsan Metropolitan Council Chairman Kim Ki-hwan, with over 500 participants joining online.

Chairman Chey personally attended the Ulsan Forum from the afternoon session, listening to speeches and discussions for about three and a half hours. Instead of a closing speech, he shared his thoughts by answering questions from the audience. He was particularly specific about climate change and energy issues.

In response to a question about "the direction Ulsan's manufacturing industry should take in the carbon-neutral era," Chairman Chey explained, "The carbon issue has three characteristics: time constraints, price, and opportunity," adding, "The amount of carbon reduction required is set according to timelines such as 2030 and 2050, and as time passes, the price will rise rapidly, with a time coming when it will exceed $100 per ton."

He continued, "If we create solutions to the carbon issue with the mindset of being a 'first mover,' we can apply them globally and turn them into business opportunities," emphasizing, "Because the carbon issue is a common problem, cooperation among stakeholders is necessary to solve it."

Earlier, forum participants engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as ▲the eco-friendly transition of Ulsan's manufacturing industry and ▲ways to create social value (SV) in the local community. To overcome the crisis of regional population decline, there was consensus that "a living space combining workplace, residence, and leisure?'Jikjurok'?must be created, and to achieve this, a collaborative system among local governments, companies, and universities should be established to generate synergy." Additionally, to expand social value in the community, advice was given that "starting with understanding the local community, it is important for companies, civil society, and local governments to build an ecosystem together through solidarity."

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