Vice Minister for Trade and Energy Han Jin-hyun gives his commemorative speech at a rally to 

promote gas safety at the-K Seoul Hotel on July 4.(photos: KGS)

Roughly 500 people from the gas industry assembled for a rally to promote gas safety at the-K Seoul Hotel on July 4 and renewed their pledge to ensure safety management. 

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Gas Safety Corp. (KGS) hosted and organized the rally, respectively.

KGS President Jun Dae-chun said in his speech, “We’ve accomplished a feat by sharply reducing gas accidents. The nation has seen gas-related accidents nosedive from a peak of 577 cases in 1995 to 121 cases in 2013.” He went on to say that his corporation will do its utmost to make society accident-free by creating an environment in which society enhances awareness toward gas safety. 

Vice Minister for Trade and Energy Han Jin-hyun, in his speech, stressed participants’ determination to restore public trust over gas safety by establishing safe and stable energy systems. He said the government will devote itself to realizing public safety and happiness by advancing national gas safety mechanisms through thorough safety inspection into large-sized gas installations, quality management and legislating and revising laws concerning the management of toxic gasses. 

Vice Minister for Trade and Energy Han Jin-hyun and KGS President 

Jun Dae-chun pose for a group photo with prize winners who have contributed 

the expansion of industrial gas supply and the development of the site safety 

management industry.

The coveted Order of Industrial Service, Bronze Tower, went to Samyang Industry Co. President Shim Yong-seop in recognition for his contributions to the expansion of industrial gas supply and the development of the site safety management industry. Han Bong-keun, president of Jeonam City Gas, a subsidiary of SK E&S, was honored with the Order of Industrial Service, Iron Tower, in return for his contributions toward preventing gas accidents by implementing advanced safety management systems in the city gas field.

Kolon Industries Senior Executive Vice President Moon Dae-in and Lee Chang-soo, a KGS division chief, each were awarded with the Industrial Service Medal, while the Presidential Award went each to Kim Doo-shik, president of Daesan Integrated Gas, Lee Seung-hee, a team head at Kogas, and Yang Young-gon, president of Tongil Gas. Kim Il-hwan, president of Valmax Technology, Um Sung-yong, senior executive vice president of AIRTEC, and Huh Young-in, president of Woori E&C, each were awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize.

Among group prize winners were Jeonbuk Energy Service, which won the Presidential Award, and Daesung Seltic Energis, which was awarded the Prime Minister’s Prize.

Following the Awards ceremony, Samyang Industry Co. President Shim himself demonstrated an excellent practice of gas safety management. The participants of the rally read a written pledge to redouble efforts to prevent gas accidents and ensure safety management. The rally also coincided with an exhibition to feature the nation’s SME star companies’ products. 

Experts from the United Kingdom, Singapore, and Japan spoke about advanced pipe safety management and inspection methods at an international seminar that took place in the afternoon of the same day.

A large number of people from petrochemical companies, city gas companies, and other areas of the gas industry participated in the seminar to obtain advanced foreign technologies.