Members of POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team and a special ordeal rescue squad in Ullung County pose for a group photo session as they participated in an offshore purification drive in an offshore area near Ullung Island for three days from Nov. 2.

Members of POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team and a special ordeal rescue squad in Ullung County remove harmful plants and removing waste plastic products and waste fishing gear in areas near Ullung Island. (Photos: POSCO)

POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team conducted an offshore purification drive in an offshore area near Ullung Island in cooperation with a special rescue squad in Ullung County for three days from Nov. 2.

Participating in the joint volunteer drive were 30 members of POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team and 30 members of the special ordeal rescue squad in Ullung County. The campaign contributed to restoring the water ecosystem off Ullung Island and served as an opportunity to cement mutual cooperation between POSCO and Ullung County.

These days, sea areas off East Coast, including the ones off Ullung Island are suffering serious phenomenon such as coral breaching and the death of sea plants. Seaweed serves a pivotal role of the marine ecosystem as it feeds fish and provides a breeding place, but a rise in harmful plants is destroying the ecosystem.

POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team and the special rescue squad in Ullung County joined forces in eliminating harmful plants and removing waste plastic products and waste fishing gear off Inner Port at Dodong-ri, Ullung-up on Nov. 2, off Inner Port at Hyeonpo-ri, Buk-myeon, Ullung-up, on Nov. 3 and off Outer Port at Jeodong-ri, Ullung-up, on Nov. 4.

The volunteers, wearing diving gear and gloves and carrying mesh and sacks, collected waste fishing gear, including waste plastic items, off Inner Port at Dodong-ri on Nov. 3 and removed five tons of harmful plants such sea chestnut and starfish on Nov. 4.

“POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team will spare no efforts to promote shared development with POSCO and (we’ll) work hard so that it can bring support and impression to Ullung County residents.” said Kim Ung-rae, chairman of the team. He extended thanks to Ullung County officials for their arrangement.

Lee Jong-taek, head of the special rescue squad in Ullung County said, “It is very important to preserve the marine ecosystem in nearby offshore areas to protect Ullung Island and Dok-do.” He gave thanks to POSCO executives and staff members for their help in restoring the ecosystem in offshore areas off Ullung Island and Dok-do, saying that throwing themselves body and soul will be made known widely and it will be a stepping stone. He also called for continued concern to put into practice mutual collaboration activities.

In September 2013, POSCO’s Pohang Steelworks signed an MOU on mutual exchange and cooperation with Ullung County. They have since continuously implemented mutual exchange activities.

Meanwhile, under the agreement, POSCO’s Clean Ocean Volunteer Team and Ullung Country conducted joint volunteering activities off Ullung Island on 2013 and October 2014 and at Guman 2-ri, Hongmigok, Pohang, in October 2015.