Youngpoong Executive Director Hangilsu, Commendation from Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy at 'Non-Ferrous Metals Day' Ceremony

Han Gilsu, Executive Director of the global non-ferrous metals company Youngpoong, received a commendation from the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy at the ceremony commemorating the 16th Non-Ferrous Metals Day held in Seoul on the 1st, jointly hosted by the Korea Non-Ferrous Metals Association and the Korea Copper Industry Cooperative.

Non-Ferrous Metals Day was designated to commemorate June 3, 1936, the day when copper ore was first smelted domestically at the Janghang Smelter, and since 2008, annual commemorative events have been held along with the selection and awarding of contributors to the development of Korea’s non-ferrous metals industry.

Han Gilsu, Executive Director and research officer at Youngpoong’s technology research institute, Green Metal Campus, is an expert who has been engaged in research and development (R&D) in the non-ferrous metals field for over 30 years. He was recognized for his contributions to R&D and commercialization in the domestic strategic non-ferrous metals smelting sector and the establishment of an ecosystem for secondary battery materials business.

Youngpoong Han Gilsu Executive Director.

Executive Director Han contributed to building foundational technologies for the domestic lithium industry by developing various technologies in the secondary battery recycling field, which Youngpoong is promoting as a future growth engine. These include selective lithium recovery using dry methods and manufacturing processes for high-purity lithium compounds from lithium intermediates using wet methods.

In particular, following the successful operation of Youngpoong’s dry-process secondary battery resource circulation pilot plant established last year, he is credited with laying the groundwork for strengthening the circular economy of the secondary battery materials industry in the future.

Previously, while working at RIST (Research Institute of Industrial Science & Technology in Pohang), Han developed a new magnesium extraction process (vertical reactor) using dolomite ore as raw material, playing a significant role in the commercialization of domestic companies’ magnesium smelting at an annual scale of 10,000 tons.

In addition, through active research activities related to non-ferrous metals and secondary battery materials, he has contributed to strengthening the competitiveness of Korea’s non-ferrous metals industry by registering 46 domestic patents, 2 overseas patents, filing 7 domestic patents, 5 PCT applications, and publishing 5 journal papers.

Since 1970, Youngpoong has operated the Seokpo Smelter in Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, a single plant with the world’s third-largest zinc production capacity (400,000 tons annually). The company actively practices ESG management, including the world’s first introduction of a ‘100% wastewater reuse facility’ in 2021, and is vigorously promoting a new secondary battery recycling business as a future growth sector.

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