The 49th National Quality Management Competition that took place at COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on Nov. 22. is the largest quality promotion event in Korea.
The event was hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and organized by Korean Standards Association.
The event discovers and awards meritorious persons and excellent companies that have contributed to boosting industrial competitiveness by creating outstanding management results through quality innovation activities.
Under the slogan of “A Bigger Korea, Rebounding with Quality Management,” the competition awarded a total of 415 medals of merit to people and organizations that contributed to national development through quality innovation.
They include six national orders and medals, 18 presidential prizes, 13 prime minister’s prizes, and 30 ministerial awards.
In the first part of the National Quality Management Competition, the highest honor, Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit, went to Ryu Jae-chul, CEO of LG Electronics.
Ryu has been credited with exploring 173 export countries, achieving exports worth 19.5 trillion won and ranking 1st in terms of sales among global home appliance makers.
He has been praised for leading global home appliance makers by implementing quality priority management for 34 years and contributing to national development, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards said.
Dignitaries, including Chairman Kang Myung-soo of Korean Standards Association, and award winners pose for a photo at the 49th National Quality Management Competition.
The Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit was awarded to Cho Sung-hwan, former president of Hyundai Mobis.
He has been lauded for his roles in the development of hydrogen EV battery technology and localizing core parts and exporting them to 187 countries, thus contributing to the development of the automobile industry.
The Steel Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit was presented to President Park Hyung-duck of Korea Western Power Co. (KOWEPO).
He has been credited with his contribution to the development of the national power industry by localizing gas turbines and exploring overseas new markets.
KOWEPO has been designated as an “outstanding quality competitiveness company” for the eighth consecutive year, in recognition of forming an innovation group, led by the CEO, achieving financial improvement, and upgrading quality integrated management system.
The power company also saw its 10 outstanding quality circles win presidential awards. The latest prizes have brought to 75 the number of awards KOWEPO has won since 2001, becoming the most-awarded power company.
Korea National Railway (KR) was one of the winners of the presidential award.
KR has been given higher evaluations in management leadership and educational training infrastructure categories by displaying the CEO’s determination for manpower development and securing personnel and education expertise.
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