Andong-il, President of Hyundai Steel, Receives Top Academic Award 'Metal and Materials Award'

Andong-il, CEO of Hyundai Steel, received the Metal and Materials Award, the highest honor from the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials, at the '2023 Annual General Meeting of the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials.' Established in 1980, the Metal and Materials Award is the top award given by the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials to individuals who have made significant contributions to the academic, industrial, and technological fields related to metal materials in South Korea.

CEO Ahn was recognized for his contributions to industrial development in the fields of steelmaking equipment and steel production technology. During his tenure at Hyundai Steel, he led initiatives such as transitioning to a carbon-neutral production system to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, developing the world’s first 1.0GPa-class electric furnace product for automobiles, and improving equipment efficiency through equipment robustness activities.

At the awards ceremony held on the 26th at the Daegu Convention Center (EXCO), CEO Ahn stated, "We are currently at a turning point where the paradigm of steelmaking is changing in the era of carbon neutrality. During this period of change, I will strive to contribute to the advancement of the metal materials field by establishing a foundation to leap forward as a sustainable and eco-friendly steel company with a sense of mission for our times."

Andong-il, President of Hyundai Steel (right), is taking a commemorative photo after receiving the Metal and Materials Award, the highest honor of the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials, at the institute's regular general meeting on the 26th.
[Photo by Hyundai Steel]

Earlier, in April, CEO Ahn personally announced Hyundai Steel’s carbon neutrality roadmap, stating, "Leveraging the advantage of a business structure equipped with both blast furnace and electric furnace production facilities, as well as experience and technological capabilities in electric furnace-based automotive steel sheet production, we will transition to an eco-friendly steel company and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050." To this end, Hyundai Steel is currently investing in transitioning to a combined electric furnace-blast furnace process production system and plans to establish a supply system for 5 million tons of low-carbon products annually by 2030.

Marking its 70th anniversary this year, Hyundai Steel established the 'Hyundai Steel Academic Award' and the 'Hyundai Steel Young Scholar Award' at the Korean Institute of Metals and Materials to promote academic development in the fields of metals and metal processing.

Professor Choi Byung-hak of Gangneung-Wonju National University was selected as the first recipient of the Academic Award, and Researcher Park Chan-hee of the Korea Institute of Materials Science was chosen as the first recipient of the Young Scholar Award.