The coveted Order of Industrial Service, Silver Tower, went to Samsung Electro-Mechanics President Choi Chi-joon in recognition of his company’s saving 42.4 billion in energy costs by implementing an energy reduction regime based on a global energy management system. 

Choi is one of the 107 prizewinners who have contributed to promoting the rational use of energy and energy conservation. Approximately 400 people got together to participate in a rally on Nov. 23 to promote the rational use of energy and make energy conservation part of daily life. They included Vice Minister for Energy and Trade Cho Seok.

Kumho Petrochemical Co. Executive Vice President Song Seok-geun was honored with the Order of Industrial Service, Bronze Tower, for his role in building an energy management regime with advanced energy management standards grafting IT into investments in energy-conserving facilities and energy management. 

Lee Jong-in, chief of the Management and Planning Division at Hyundai Steel, was presented with the Order of Industrial Service, Steel Tower, for actively joining power demand management activities with its cooperative partners and implementing programs to improve energy efficiency for low-income families.

Kim In-soo, a director of Korea Energy Management Corp. (KEMCO), received the Order of Industrial Service, Tin Tower, for his contribution to introducing an energy grading system, high-efficiency apparatuses, power standby systems, and proliferating community energy and establishing a national greenhouse gas emission reduction plan.

Lee Yong-woo, vice president of GS E&C, was awarded the Industrial Service Medal for his contribution to the development of high-efficiency condensing boilers, a system for recycling waste heat, technologies employing geothermal heat, and an ice thermal storage system. 

Vice Minister Cho, in his speech, called for people to join a drive to conserve electricity because the power supply capacity is restricted due to power plant maintenance and a frigid winter is forecast.

The rally, inaugurated in 1975, is held every November with the goal of reawakening the value of energy conservation and translating pledges to conserve energy into action in order to cope with crude oil price hikes and climate change as well as to build a foundation for the low-carbon, green-growth paradigm.

Park Ji-eun, writer of a KBS-2 TV drama, and Danish Ambassador Peter Lysholt were presented with a plaque of appreciation for promoting public consensus on energy conservation and spearheading the so-called Green Embassy Initiative to reduce electricity consumption by 57 percent, respectively.