장인화의 포스코, '안전의 늪'과 '미래의 길' 사이에서 시험대에 오르다 > K-wave Trends

The series of fatal accidents that occurred at POSCO E&C's construction sites clearly reveal the structural contradictions facing the entire POSCO Group. The fall that occurred at the Shinansan Line construction site on the 9th is not simply the misfortune of one worker, but proves that the chronic problems at the group level that have killed more than 34 people over the past 10 years have not yet been cured. Even though Chairman In-Hwa Inhwa made safety a top management priority as soon as he took office and took various measures, such as launching the Safety Special Diagnosis Task Force (TF), the reality of repeated tragedies is eroding market trust. Experts point out that the fundamental cause is an organizational culture that puts pressure on productivity and shortens construction time on site rather than introducing cutting-edge technology, and criticizes the structural limitations of management, which puts more risk on accidents than the cost of maintaining safety procedures, as a painful issue.

Even amidst the huge wave of safety risks, POSCO is putting its utmost efforts to improve its global status by taking a 'game' to secure future food sources. At a recent event commemorating the 27th Iron Day, Chairman Inhwa In-hwa strongly called for the steel industry to decarbonize and improve its structure to focus on high value-added products. This is the will to overcome head-on the triple whammy of sluggish domestic demand, global oversupply, and increasingly strong protectionism. In particular, POSCO is accelerating the development of next-generation technologies such as hydrogen reduction steel in cooperation with the government and strengthening cooperation between industries to respond to external uncertainties such as the European Union's Carbon Border Adjustment System (CBAM), demonstrating POSCO's efforts to take the lead in the future materials industry beyond being a simple steel company.

Aggressive moves in the energy business are the core of POSCO's long-term strategy to move beyond steel and become an energy company. POSCO International's recent investment of $500 million to secure a stake in a U.S. shale gas field is the largest ever investment in an overseas gas field by a domestic private company, and is the result of Chairman Chang's firm strategy to foster the energy business as one of the group's three core axes. This goes beyond simply securing resources and is calculated to maximize the profit-generating capabilities of the entire group by generating dividend profits and establishing a stable LNG supply chain. This project through cooperation with the United States is in line with the Korean government's investment policy in the United States, and is expected to be an important milestone in POSCO's position as a key player in the global supply chain.

Meanwhile, Chairman Jang In-hwa emphasizes field-oriented management and coexistence with the local community and is expanding the scope of his leadership by directly participating in volunteer activities through 'Global Volunteer Week'. Our actions to visit aging villages in the Pohang area to improve safety facilities and support AI-based forest fire detection systems and healthcare services are part of our efforts to strengthen corporate social responsibility (CSR). These activities are intended to create a sense of unity among the group's executives and employees and restore trust with the local community, but some are concerned that volunteer activities for show may obscure the fundamental problem in a situation where safety accidents in the field cannot be prevented. This is why it is pointed out that true trust management should begin with establishing a thorough safety management network that ensures that no worker at the construction site is sacrificed, rather than with grandiose social contribution activities.