Korea Zinc holds beach cleanup, vows to help protect marine ecosystem

Employees from Korea Zinc's Onsan smelter joined officials from the city of Ulsan and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency for a volunteer activity at Pyeongdong Beach in Ulju-gun, Ulsan. The activity aimed to help protect the marine environment.

Korea Zinc said Friday that it carried out the "KZ Companion Beach Cleanup Volunteer Activity" at Pyeongdong Beach on Tuesday. About 30 people took part in the two-hour cleanup, including some 10 employees from Korea Zinc. Officials from Ulsan's marine and fisheries division and the Donghae headquarters of the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency also participated. Participants collected plastic bottles, vinyl and cigarette butts and other waste that had washed up on the beach.

Last year, on Resource Circulation Day (Sept. 6, 2025), Korea Zinc adopted Pyeongdong Beach as a "companion beach" to help address the marine debris problem facing Ulsan's coastal communities. Companion beach adoption is a campaign in which companies or organizations take charge of a specific beach, regularly collecting marine debris and managing its environment.

This year's cleanup was the third such activity, following ones in September and November 2025. It was held as part of a public-private sea forest cultivation project that Korea Zinc is pursuing together with the city of Ulsan and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency. Earlier, in July, Korea Zinc signed a memorandum of understanding with the city of Ulsan and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency. The agreement established a support framework for restoring the local marine ecosystem.

The public-private sea forest cultivation project, to which Korea Zinc has committed 100 million won ($74,700), will run through June 2027. It covers the sea forest established in 2018 off Pyeongdong in Ulju-gun, Ulsan. The project involves planting seaweed and direct transplantation to create spore-dispersal complexes, and removing herbivorous marine life such as conch and sea urchins. It also includes collecting underwater debris such as discarded fishing gear and ropes, carrying out coastal cleanups, and monitoring seaweed growth, distribution and marine life.

Korea Zinc has consistently carried out corporate social responsibility activities aimed at environmental conservation and biodiversity. In April last year, about 80 people from the labor union and company staff carried out a plogging volunteer activity around Daewangam Park in Ulsan. In June this year, the company signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Institute of Ecology and the social enterprise Forest's Little Friends on restoring endangered insects and enhancing biodiversity, and provided 50 million won in support.

Korea Zinc's Onsan smelter has established a strategy called "KZ CLOVER" and carries out social contribution activities across four areas: talent development, donations and volunteering, environmental protection, and culture and arts. The smelter has received the top rating for three consecutive years since 2023 in the Community Contribution Recognition System, which is run by the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Community Welfare Council. The rating recognizes its efforts to foster shared growth with the local community.

"As the Onsan smelter is a member of the Ulsan community, protecting the natural environment is an important social responsibility for us," a Korea Zinc official said. "We will continue to consistently carry out companion beach cleanup activities in which our employees directly participate, while strengthening cooperation with the city of Ulsan, the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency and others to help restore the marine ecosystem."

Meanwhile, Korea Zinc again gained the upper hand in its proxy fight with the MBK Partners-Youngpoong alliance. The result came at its 53rd extraordinary general shareholders' meeting, held Wednesday at the Mondrian Hotel in Yongsan-gu, Seoul. Korea Zinc's side secured the audit committee member seat -- the key battleground in the management dispute -- widening its lead on the board from 9-5 to 12-7.