POSCO Conducts Emergency Response Drill for Disaster Preparedness at Gwangyang Steelworks with Three Major Telecom Operators

Joint Disaster Preparedness Drill Conducted on the 13th at Gwangyang Steelworks with SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus

At the disaster preparedness emergency response drill conducted by POSCO and the three mobile carriers at the Gwangyang Steelworks on the 13th, the mobile base stations of SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus were positioned in front of the data center. Photo by POSCO

POSCO, SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus conducted an emergency drill for mobile phone network recovery and a joint inspection of communication equipment at the Gwangyang Steelworks on the 13th to prepare for disasters.

POSCO recognized the importance of mobile phone communication to support damage recovery even in the worst situations such as disasters, and last year signed an MOU for a disaster preparedness cooperation system with the three mobile carriers.

Previously, each company monitored situations independently and addressed communication failures or inconveniences on their own, but since signing the memorandum of understanding in 2023, they have continued ▲preparing recovery equipment and personnel ▲operating hotlines ▲conducting joint disaster response drills.

Following last year's drill at the Pohang Steelworks, this year’s emergency response drill was held at the Gwangyang Steelworks.

Before the drill, POSCO selected 27 top-priority recovery sites, including the billet area, production control center, and oxygen plant, through an importance evaluation reflecting the impact on operations and characteristics of communication equipment operation.

Additionally, to prepare for power outages, battery capacity was reinforced, and 98 emergency generators and mobile base stations that can be deployed urgently were secured. Environmental improvements aimed at damage prevention were also completed, such as relocating equipment vulnerable to flooding.

The drill began by simulating heavy rain and power outages caused by a typhoon. When the mobile phone network was paralyzed due to the disaster, POSCO promptly notified the three mobile carriers, who then installed mobile base stations and operated emergency generators starting from the highest priority recovery areas to restore mobile phone communication.

Shim Min-seok, Head of POSCO’s Digital Innovation Office, said, "Mobile phone communication is essential for rapid communication and on-site response during disasters," adding, "Through drills simulating disaster situations with the three mobile carriers, we have established a system for business continuity and swift recovery."

On the same day, POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks not only conducted the joint drill but also checked the use of satellite phones for disaster preparedness, measures to take in case of intranet and internal network disconnection, and various action guidelines.

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