KG Steel's Dangjin plant manager honored on Fire Prevention Day

Park Han-gyu, plant manager of KG Steel's Dangjin factory, has received a commendation for contributions to fire safety in recognition of efforts to prevent workplace fires and strengthen fire safety in the local community. Key achievements cited included operating a 14-member in-house fire brigade and investing about 2 billion won ($1.48 million) to upgrade fire safety equipment.

KG Steel said Park received the award at the 64th Fire Prevention Day commendation ceremony held at the Dangjin Fire Station in South Chungcheong Province on Monday.

Park has participated in the Dangjin Regional Fire Development Committee, building a cooperative framework between local fire authorities and the plant. Park has worked to strengthen the factory's internal fire response capabilities while expanding information sharing and collaboration with local fire agencies.

Park was recognized in particular for operating an in-house fire brigade suited to the scale of a large manufacturing facility and for reinforcing the plant's early response system in the event of a fire.

The Dangjin factory's in-house brigade consists of 14 members. The team is organized around the factory's shift rotation schedule so that workers can respond swiftly on-site before external fire crews arrive.

The brigade also undergoes regular practical training focused on driving fire trucks, water discharge drills and the operation of fire safety equipment, ensuring members are familiar with the procedures required in an emergency.

KG Steel has continued to invest in facility improvements. The Dangjin plant directed about 2 billion won toward fire safety, replacing aging equipment and reinforcing surveillance in fire-prone zones. The factory also installed additional paging communication systems — which relay situational updates to the scene rapidly during emergencies — along with closed-circuit television cameras, expanding its capacity to detect fire risks early and respond when incidents occur.

Regular facility inspections run alongside these upgrades. The plant conducts comprehensive precision inspections and operational function checks of its fire safety systems, addressing any deficiencies identified in the process as part of a prevention-focused approach to safety management.

KG Steel said it will continue to improve fire prevention facilities and its in-house response systems at the plant while maintaining cooperation with local fire authorities.

"Safety is the top priority that comes before all production activities," Park said. "We will keep strengthening prevention-focused safety management and on-site response capabilities to build a workplace where employees and the local community can feel secure."

Meanwhile, KG Steel is partnering with Inha University's AI Innovation Graduate School to advance the AI transformation of its manufacturing operations, centered on the Incheon factory. The company plans to apply AI to production planning and product movement and management — tasks that have long relied on the experience of skilled workers — and to verify the technology's practical applicability on the factory floor.