Vice Chairman Kim Hak-dong Awarded Master Craftsman Plaque
Prize Money of 50 Million Won and Special Promotion
POSCO announced on the 16th that it has selected Lee Young-jin, Manager of the Steelmaking Department at the Pohang Steelworks, and Lee Seon-dong, Manager of the Steelmaking Equipment Department at the Gwangyang Steelworks, as this year’s 'POSCO Masters.'
The POSCO Master system is designed to select employees who possess world-class technical skills and character, to advance and pass on steelmaking technology. Since its introduction in 2015, POSCO has selected a total of 25 POSCO Masters up to this year.
Lee Young-jin, who joined the company in 1987, is a top expert in the Pohang Steelworks in refining operations technology that removes impurities from molten iron and controls necessary components, as well as in steelmaking equipment management. He has also made significant contributions to the development of technologies such as low-carbon operation technology that allows the use of large amounts of steel scrap instead of molten iron in the blast furnace, and automation of casting. Lee Seon-dong, who joined in 1989, is the top expert in maintaining and improving the performance of continuous casting equipment that cools and solidifies molten steel processed through the steelmaking process into slabs, an intermediate material, at the Gwangyang Steelworks.
The POSCO Masters selected this year received their appointment plaques from POSCO Vice Chairman and CEO Kim Hak-dong at the company’s management meeting held on the 13th. At the award ceremony, Vice Chairman Kim said, "One of the key factors that has allowed POSCO to be recognized as the world’s most competitive steel company for 13 consecutive years is the technical skills of the on-site operation and maintenance personnel." He added, "I ask the POSCO Masters, who played a major role in the miracle of fully restoring the Pohang Steelworks, which suffered severe damage from last year’s flood, within 135 days, to also take the lead in solving the urgent challenges of low carbon and eco-friendliness."
Kim Hak-dong, Vice Chairman of POSCO (left), is taking a commemorative photo after presenting the '2023 POSCO Master Craftsman' appointment plaques to Lee Young-jin, Manager of Pohang Steelworks (center), and Lee Seon-dong, Manager of Gwangyang Steelworks. Photo by POSCO
Those selected as POSCO Masters receive special rank promotions, five days of special leave, and a reward of 50 million KRW. They are permanently enshrined in the Hall of Fame, which bears the names and achievements of founding members, past CEOs, and past masters. POSCO Masters contribute to enhancing the company’s technological competitiveness through various activities such as transferring specialized in-house technical skills, giving special lectures to new employees and at the in-house university, and providing equipment management training to partner and client companies. Even after retirement, they are re-employed as technical consultants to pass on their skills and know-how to younger generations.
To be nominated as a POSCO Master candidate, one must basically meet requirements such as obtaining the highest grade in POSCO’s own technical competency certification system, Technician Level (TL), holding qualifications such as master craftsman or professional engineer, and having excellent character and personnel evaluation. Candidates can also qualify through recommendations by responsible executives. The evaluation process consists of a preliminary review including technical skill assessment, on-site inspection, and peer evaluation, followed by a final review by a committee composed of internal and external technical experts.
POSCO Masters led the dramatic recovery and full restart of the Pohang Steelworks, which suffered flood damage from the overflow of the Naengcheon River, within 135 days last year.
Son Byung-rak, selected in 2015, led the restoration work of the main motor for the rolling mill weighing up to 170 tons. Jeong Gyu-jeom, selected in 2020, led power restoration through several days of overnight work when the entire steelworks experienced a blackout. Bae Dong-seok, selected in 2018, and Kim Su-hak, selected in 2021, urgently created a sand treatment site by pouring molten steel into a sandy area to recycle it into scrap metal when there was nowhere to receive molten steel even though the blast furnace was operating.
The masters who dedicated themselves to flood recovery at the steelworks were promoted to executive-level positions in the regular personnel reshuffle earlier this year. Son Byung-rak was promoted to executive director-level technical advisor, while Jeong Gyu-jeom and Jo Gil-dong were promoted to deputy general manager.
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