Dignitaries participate in a ceremony to celebrate the 19th Steel Day hosted by the Korea Iron & Steel Association (KOSA) at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul on June 8. From left shown are TCC Steel Chairman Sohn Bong-rak, Dongbu Steel President Kim Chang-soo, , Hyundai Steel Vice Chairman Woo You-cheol, Minister Paik Un-gyu of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), POSCO President Oh In-hwan, SeAh Steel Chairman Lee Soon-hyung, Dongkuk Steel Vice Chairman Chang Se-wook, and KOSA Standing Vice Chairman Lee Min-chul. (Photo: KOSA)

The Korea Iron & Steel Association (KOSA) held a ceremony to celebrate the 19th Steel Day at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul on June 8 in which steel maker CEOs and heads of related organizations pledged to rebound the Korean steel industry.
Among those on hand at the event were Minister Paik Un-gyu of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), POSCO President Oh In-hwan, Hyundai Steel Vice Chairman Woo You-cheol, Dongkuk Steel Vice Chairman Chang Se-wook, and SeAh Steel Chairman Lee Soon-hyung, Dongbu Steel President Kim Chang-soo, TCC Steel Chairman Sohn Bong-rak, and KOSA Standing Vice Chairman Lee Min-chul.
 In his commemorative speech at the event, KOSA Standing Vice Chairman Lee called for the realizing of differentiation strategies like the development of value-added products to overcome ever-deepening protectionist moves.
“Let’s rise to global first movers surpassing fast followers through innovative technology development and expanding of investments,” he said.
In his speech, MOTIE Minster Paik, said, “Efforts should be made to create an innovative ecosystem for shared growth and to cope with the trade environment in a wise fashion.” Minister Paik stressed Korea’s differential competitiveness as effective ways to overcome protectionist moves and shake off late-followers’ chase.
The coveted Order of Industrial Service Merit, Silver Tower went to Deputy General Manager Kwon Young-guk of POSCO in recognition of introducing endless hot rolling technology for the first time in the world, thus contributing to the development of the Korean steel industry.
Kwon was one of the 29 people who were honored with orders and other diverse other prizes for their roles contributing to the development of the Korean steel industry. Daehan Steel Vice Chairman Oh Hyung-geun received the Order of Industrial Service Merit in recognition of constructing an electric furnace and creating about 100 new jobs by introducing a four-team, two-shift system, the industry’s first such move.
Prof. Kim Do-hyang of Yonsei University was awarded with the Industrial Service Medal for his research on nano, mesoporous material design. POSCO Senior Researcher Cho Byung-guk won the 35th Steel Technology Award.
The award was established in 1982 with the goal of contributing to the development of the Korean steel industry by boosting steelmaking industry people’s creativity and moral for research.
The Steel Technology Promotion Award went to Kim Sung-yeon, group head at POSCO, while Cho Dae-hyun, an official with Hyundai Steel, received the Steel Skill Technology Award. General Manager Choi Seung-shik of Dongbu Steel was awarded with the Steel Skill Technology Promotion Prize. KOSA, designated as Steel Day June 9, the day of producing Korea’s first iron mold in a modernized furnace, with the goal of stressing the significance of steel among the general public and instilling people with the steel industry with solidarity and a sense of pride.