Supporting a total project budget of KRW 100 million in partnership with POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks
Installing ramps at small-scale businesses throughout the city of Gwangyang from March to December
POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO Lee Kye-In) actively pursues the installation of ramps to uphold the mobility rights of people with disabilities, in collaboration with Gwangyang and POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks.
On the 24th, POSCO INTERNATIONAL hosted the launching ceremony for ‘Making Gwangyang a Barrier-Free City’ at the Jungma Social Welfare Center in Gwangyang. Notable attendees at this ceremony included Jeong In-Hwa, Mayor of Gwangyang; Cho Hyun-Ok, Gwangyang City Vice Chairman; Jeong Heon-Joo, Director of Jungma Social Welfare Center; Park Jong-Il, Deputy Head of Administrative Affairs at POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks; and Jeong Sang-Gyeong, Management Support General Manager at POSCO INTERNATIONAL, marking a significant step toward substantial changes in the community.
The ‘Making Gwangyang a Barrier-Free City’ project aims to transform Gwangyang into a safe and accessible city for all residents by △enhancing access to facilities and amenities and △creating an environment with unobstructed paths to desired locations.
POSCO INTERNATIONAL and POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks will each contribute KRW 50 million to establish a total project budget of KRW 100 million, focusing on improving access to facilities for the mobility impaired, including people with disabilities, the elderly, and children, from March to December. In particular, the project focuses on small-scale businesses that are not legally required to improve accessibility in order to provide substantial assistance in addressing the challenges in neglected areas.
Since last year, POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks has been leading efforts to create a barrier-free environment in the region by installing ramps for the mobility impaired at 28 locations, including “Mom’s Homemade Meal.” Starting this year, POSCO INTERNATIONAL, which is promoting an LNG terminal project in Gwangyang, will collaborate to expand this project and create a better community to live.
Jeong Sang-Gyeong, Management Support General Manager at POSCO INTERNATIONAL, stated, “A 5 cm bump can become an impassable barrier for some. Going beyond mere facility improvements, this project is a meaningful step toward creating an inclusive city where all citizens can live equally.” He added, “POSCO Group will contribute to the development of the community by supporting Gwangyang’s project to create a ‘Barrier-Free City of Gwangyang.'”
Meanwhile, POSCO INTERNATIONAL is also working to enhance digital accessibility for the mobility impaired, in addition to improving the physical environment. Since 2023, its staff members have been actively volunteering to gather information on accessible facilities, such as △pedestrian pathways, △buildings and store entrances, △stairs, △ramps, and △accessible toilets, using wheelchairs to develop a navigation app for wheelchair users called ‘Wheel Vi.’
Additionally, the company is involved in various community activities, including ‘installing solar panels’ for social welfare centers, ‘creating safe paths to get home’ using crime prevention techniques, repairing senior centers, and assisting sister villages in Nogu, Namhae while also selling their agricultural products for them, among other initiatives.