LG Chem names 2026 master technicians, vows to expand field talent program

LG Chem held its "LG Chem Master Technician and Specialist" certification ceremony Thursday at LG Twin Towers in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.

The LG Chem Master Technician and Specialist program is an official in-house certification system designed to develop technically skilled workers with hands-on expertise. Since its launch in 2022, the program has produced 10 master technicians and 86 specialists.

This year, Kim Byeong-un, a senior process engineer who holds the national quality master technician designation, and Jang Hyeon-jeong, a senior research manager and recipient of the presidential award at the National Quality Management Competition, were named 2026 LG Chem Master Technicians.

Kim was recognized for improving the manufacturing process for acrylates — a raw material used in fibers and coatings — to boost productivity and quality competitiveness. Jang was selected for leading a digital transformation project in environmental safety that significantly enhanced process safety.

Alongside this, 12 employees were named LG Chem Specialists in recognition of their professional expertise in solving on-site challenges, including reducing catalyst usage through process improvements and securing production competitiveness through parts localization.

Master technicians and specialists are selected through a rigorous evaluation and screening process. This year, the company placed particular emphasis on identifying technically skilled workers capable of driving manufacturing innovation, incorporating on-site leadership and problem-solving ability as key assessment criteria.

Those selected receive a range of benefits, including induction into a hall of fame at their respective worksites, cash awards, and preferential consideration for promotions and appointments.

"The technology and experience accumulated by our field experts are LG Chem's most important asset for translating our core competitive technologies — what we call Winning Tech — into tangible results," LG Chem President Kim Dong-chun said. "We will continue to systematically develop field technical talent to drive manufacturing innovation and expand our support to secure future competitiveness."