Chairman Han Joon-ho of Samchully delivers gifts to Maj. Gen. Paek Kyung-soon, head of the second division of Marine Corps as he toured the unit on Jan. 17. Samchully has maintained a sisterhood ties with the military unit. (Photo: Samchully Group)

Total energy company Samchully was selected as the No. 1 company in the city gas category among Korea’s Most Admired Companies by the Korea Management Association Consulting on Feb. 25.

As a result, the company was honored to be selected for the 17th consecutive year since the Korea’s Most Admired Companies survey made its debut.

Korea’s Most Admired Companies is a certification system released by the Korea Management Association Consulting, which comprehensively evaluates the value areas required for corporate management activities.

This year, a survey was conducted among 9,651 industry executives and 206 analysts, selecting the top-ranked companies in 97 industries.

The evaluation criteria included six elements (innovation capabilities, shareholder value, employee value, customer value, social value, and image value). Samchully picked up first place in all evaluation categories, claiming the overall No. 1 spot in the city gas sector.

Samchully which celebrates its 65th anniversary this year is Korea’s largest city gas company, supplies clean and convenient city gas to 13 cities in Gyeonggi Province and five districts in Incheon.

In 1955, Samchully was established, starting with a coal briquette business. In the 1980s, the company began its transformation, launching its city gas supply business.

Samchully has been one of the top-tier companies in those businesses by overcoming challenges and completing a successful transformation.

In recent years, Samchully has strengthened its main energy business sector by making a foray into the power generation and integrated energy supply business.

Hence, the company has grown into a general energy company that supplies city gas, heating services and electric power while pushing forward with power generation and power generation and district heating/cooling services.

In addition, the company is promoting various new businesses such as the life culture business to lead sustainable growth in the future.

The wide recognition of its efforts to pursue shared growth with all stakeholders and increase corporate value to become a company trusted by people brought the honor of the Most Admired Company to Samchully for the 17th consecutive year.

In the future, Samchully will lead sustainable growth by ensuring sustainability and laying the solid foundation for future growth.

At the same time, it will put its utmost efforts into realizing win-win management that fulfills its social responsibilities to become a company that creates a warm society, a safe world, and a happy future.

On March 27, Samchully held its 54th regular general shareholders' meeting at the headquarters of Yeouido, Seoul, with shareholders and management.

At the regular general shareholders’ meeting, three items were proposed. The three were the approval of the 2019 financial statements and consolidated financial statements, the appointment of internal directors, and the approval of limits in compensations for directors. All were approved.

According to the 54th business report, Samchully posted 2,538.2 billion won in sales, 55.9 billion won in operating profit, and 33.8 billion won in net profit.

A cash dividend of 3,000 won per share was decided as in 2019. With reference to the appointment of an executive director, Yoo Jae-kwon was re-appointed as CEO of Samchully.

“In spite of difficult situations such as an economic downturn, all employees have made every effort,” said Lee Chan-eui, vice chairman of Samchully in a welcoming address in the general shareholders’ meeting. “Their efforts have paid off handsomely.

We will do our best to overcome the current crisis by pursuing autonomous management, future-oriented management, and innovative management that brings happiness to people.”

In the meantime, a thermal imaging camera was installed at the entrance to Samchully headquarters building on the day to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus along with a body temperature taking system, face masks and hand sanitizers. During the general shareholders' meeting, all participants put social distancing into practice.

In a related development, Samchully donated 100 million won to the Community Chest of Korea on Feb. 28, asking that the money be used to overcome hardships, caused by the spread of COVID-19.

The company also participated in the “Flower Bucket Challenge” designed to help floricultural farmers struggling with hard times.