Pernod Ricard Korea Selects CEO Yang Seung-chan as Upcycling Expert for Abelhaur Craftsmanship Award

- Yang Seungchan, CEO of Starstech, Develops Perfect Upcycling Snow Melting Agent Using Eco-Friendly Starfish
- Evaluated as a Company Creating Social Value Equivalent to About 600 Million KRW Last Year

[Abelower Craftsmanship Award Fourth Recipient, StarsTech CEO Yang Seung-chan]

Seungchan Yang, CEO of Starstech, has been selected as the fourth recipient of the ‘Aberlour Craftsmanship Award’ hosted by Aberlour, the luxury boutique single malt whisky brand of Pernod Ricard Korea.

Pernod Ricard Korea’s ‘Aberlour Craftsmanship Award’ honors professionals who demonstrate a passion for exceptional quality and social responsibility, embodying the philosophy of founder James Fleming: “LET THE DEED SHOW.” Each month, the award shares the craftsmanship stories of the recipients based on their social responsibility efforts, aiming to inspire not only single malt enthusiasts but also a wide range of consumers, including the socially conscious millennial generation.

The fourth awardee, Seungchan Yang of Starstech, developed the world’s first eco-friendly de-icing agent using starfish, based on the motto “Save the environment with waste.” His passion for product development began in high school, where he researched the ion adsorption tendencies of the porous structure of starfish, which laid the foundation for his current business. He further established his business by winning the Minister of National Defense Award at a military startup competition and has grown his company to achieve annual sales of 10 billion KRW at the young age of 27.

Starfish disrupt marine ecosystems and cause damage to aquaculture, prompting the government to allocate significant budgets for their disposal. Yang’s contribution to social responsibility is recognized for transforming starfish, a marine waste, into a high value-added industry and creating products with environmental value.

Aberlour’s representative at Pernod Ricard Korea stated, “Seungchan Yang of Starstech developed the world’s first eco-friendly de-icing agent using starfish through relentless research and innovation. His contribution to environmental issues and sustainability through resource recycling aligns well with Aberlour’s brand philosophy, which led to his selection as the award recipient. We hope Yang’s passion for sustainability and efforts in environment-based upcycling serve as a role model and inspiration to many.”

Meanwhile, Aberlour, Pernod Ricard Korea’s single malt whisky brand, maintains its quality and flavor as a premium boutique malt for over 140 years through small-batch production using the double cask method. By insisting on using the finest barley produced within 15 miles, Aberlour enhances its rarity value and continuously contributes to local communities. Officially launched in Korea in 2018, Aberlour’s lineup includes the double cask Aberlour 12 Year and 16 Year, as well as the sherry cask strength Aberlour A’bunadh.