Following projects in China, Mongolia, and New Zealand last year, the company is expanding its efforts to preserve overseas independence movement heritage and promote a culture of honoring national heroes

In partnership with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO Lee Kye-In) is expanding its project this year to install PosART panels at overseas historic sites related to the Korean independence movement in countries such as Mexico, the United States, and the Netherlands. Following the installation of 64 panels at historic sites in China, Mongolia, and New Zealand last year, the company plans to install a total of 111 panels in the three countries by March next year, including both new installations and replacements of existing panels.

The project is being carried out as part of the POSCO 1% Foundation’s social contribution project, funded by voluntary donations from its executives and employees. The goal of the project is to preserve the historical value of overseas historic sites related to the Korean independence movement and raise awareness among overseas Koreans and local visitors of the history and significance of the movement.

On National Liberation Day, August 15 (local time), POSCO INTERNATIONAL and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Mexico held a reopening ceremony for the Merida Korean National Association Local Hall (now the Museum Commemorating the Immigration of Koreans to Yucatán) in Merida, Mexico. As part of the reopening, the company replaced the building’s entrance sign and information boards with PosART panels and enhanced the museum’s visitor information facilities.

The ceremony was attended by Lee Joo-Il, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Mexico; Ko Young-Hak, Head of POSCO INTERNATIONAL Mexico E-Mobility; Kim Yoon-Tae, Head of the Management Support Office at Kia Mexico Corporation; representatives from the Mexico branch of the Cultural Heritage Restoration Foundation; and members of the Korean Descendants Association in Mexico City, who gathered to reflect on the significance of the project.

The Merida Korean National Association Local Hall was used by the Mexico City branch of the Korean National Association in 1942 preserving the history of the Korean community in Mexico and the activities of the Korean National Association. It is now operated as the Korean Immigration History Museum, where visitors can learn about the early history of Korean immigration to Mexico and the Korean independence movement.

Following the project in Mexico, POSCO INTERNATIONAL will replace the entrance sign at the Yi Jun Peace Museum in The Hague, the Netherlands, in September. From the end of this year through March next year, it will also install 107 new panels at the Hung Sa Dahn Headquarters in Los Angeles, the United States, continuing its efforts to preserve overseas historic sites related to the Korean independence movement.

PosART is a high-resolution color steel plate created by applying inkjet printing technology to steel, offering over four times the resolution of conventional printed steel plates for precise designs. Its excellent durability and corrosion resistance allow it to retain its quality over extended periods in a wide range of climatic conditions, making it well suited for signage and information facilities at historical and cultural heritage sites.

“Preserving the overseas heritage of the Korean independence movement and passing on its history to future generations, especially around National Liberation Day, is a social responsibility that companies should also share,” said a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official. “We will continue to contribute to preserving independence movement heritage and promoting a culture of honoring national heroes by working with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs and relevant organizations in Korea and abroad.”

Meanwhile, in May, approximately 24,000 executives and employees of POSCO Group across 23 countries participated in Global Volunteer Week, the Group’s flagship social contribution initiative, engaging in volunteer activities tailored to local needs, including improving housing conditions for vulnerable groups, responding to wildfires, and enhancing educational environments. In addition, the POSCO 1% Foundation continues to expand its social contribution initiatives, including a project to provide advanced assistive devices to national veterans, while contributing to stronger ties with local communities and promoting a culture of sharing.

▲ Group photo from the reopening ceremony of the Merida Korean National Association Local Hall (now the Museum Commemorating the Immigration of Koreans to Yucatán) in Mexico. From left in the back row: Ko Young-hak, President of POSCO INTERNATIONAL Mexico E-Mobility; Kim Yun-tae, Vice President of Business Support Group at Kia Mexico; Juan Durán Cong, President of the Korean Descendants Association of Yucatán; and Lee Joo-il, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Mexico

▲ PosART information panel installed at the Merida Korean National Association Local Hall (now the Museum Commemorating the Immigration of Koreans to Yucatán) in Mexico

▲ Group photo from the reopening ceremony of the Merida Korean National Association Local Hall (now the Museum Commemorating the Immigration of Koreans to Yucatán) in Mexico. From left in the back row: Ko Young-hak, President of POSCO INTERNATIONAL Mexico E-Mobility; Kim Yun-tae, Vice President of Business Support Group at Kia Mexico; Juan Durán Cong, President of the Korean Descendants Association of Yucatán; and Lee Joo-il, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Mexico

▲ PosART information panel installed at the Merida Korean National Association Local Hall (now the Museum Commemorating the Immigration of Koreans to Yucatán) in Mexico

Pohang plant production lines converted from high-nickel to LFP to meet customer demand… prototype certification underway, with mass production supply set to begin by the end of the year

Continuing supply negotiations with global battery makers and automakers based on supply chain and technological capabilities to address trade regulations

POSCO Future M officially launched its LFP cathode material business on the 6th, reaching a large-scale, long-term supply agreement with a major Korean battery maker for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cathode materials.

The agreement, reached to preemptively address surging North American ESS demand, will see POSCO Future M supply more than 190,000 tons of LFP cathode materials to the battery maker over six years, from next year through 2032. The two companies plan to finalize the terms and sign a formal contract in the third quarter.

Leveraging POSCO group-level collaboration, the company plans to produce and supply LFP cathode materials with enhanced cost competitiveness by applying new processes that use steelmaking by-products, such as iron oxide, and lithium sourced from salt lakes in Argentina.

POSCO Future M is in the final stages of negotiating LFP cathode material supply contracts with other major customers and plans to expand production capacity in line with additional orders.

While LFP batteries have lower power output than ternary batteries such as NCM (nickel-cobalt-manganese) and NCA (nickel-cobalt-aluminum), they offer the advantages of lower cost and longer lifespan. With power demand surging recently due to the expansion of AI data centers, demand for LFP batteries for ESS applications is growing to ensure a stable power supply. LFP battery adoption is also increasing in the electric vehicle market, particularly for entry-level models.

To ensure the timely supply of LFP cathode materials to customers, POSCO Future M recently completed the conversion of portions of its high-nickel cathode material production lines at the Pohang plant into LFP cathode material production lines. The company is currently undergoing prototype certification with customers and plans to begin mass production supply by the end of this year.

The company is also continuing negotiations for cathode and anode material supply with global battery makers and automakers, leveraging its supply chain and technological capabilities to navigate trade regulations across various countries. In March, the company signed a large-scale, long-term supply contract worth approximately 1 trillion won with a global automaker for synthetic graphite anode materials, and is investing approximately 357 billion won to build a new synthetic graphite anode material plant in Vietnam to expand production capacity.

Separately, CNP New Material Technology — a joint venture between POSCO Future M and FINO-CNGR — began construction of an LFP cathode material plant at Pohang’s Yeongil Bay General Industrial Complex 4 in May, targeting mass production in 2027. The plant will expand production capacity in phases to a maximum of 50,000 tons.

▲ Aerial view of POSCO Future M’s Pohang cathode material plant located in Yeongil Bay Industrial Complex 4, Pohang. POSCO Future M is currently undergoing customer certification for prototypes after converting portions of its ternary high-nickel cathode material production lines in Pohang to LFP production lines.

Becomes the first in Asia to demonstrate compliance with a global standard in the aerospace rare gas manufacturing market.

Begins full-scale supply of high-purity xenon and krypton, expanding beyond semiconductors to lead the localization of aerospace materials and bolster the group’s strategic resources portfolio.

SEOUL, South Korea, August 6, 2026—POSCO AIR SOLUTION, POSCO group’s industrial gas affiliate, has become the first company in Asia to receive the internationally recognized AS9100D aerospace and defense quality management system certification from LRQA for the production of high-purity rare gases.

On August 6, POSCO AIR SOLUTION held a certification ceremony for the AS9100D at the POSCO Center in Seoul, attended by Kim Dae-Yeon, President of POSCO AIR SOLUTION, and Lee Il-Hyung, Representative Director of LRQA Korea.

The AS9100D certification is a global standard based on ISO 9001 that incorporates the stringent, sector-specific requirements of the aerospace and defense industries. Given the nature of these sectors — where even the slightest quality deviation can lead to critical consequences — the certification requires an advanced quality assurance system covering product safety, process consistency, full traceability, and risk management. As such, it is regarded as an essential gateway for entering the rare gas manufacturing market for aerospace and defense applications.

POSCO AIR SOLUTION’s achievement is particularly significant not only because it is the first of its kind in Asia’s rare gas manufacturing sector, but also because it marks the successful localization of rare gas production for the aerospace industry. Through this certification, the company plans to expand its business beyond its existing focus on semiconductors and displays, establishing a stable supply base for high-purity xenon and krypton, which are essential for launch propulsion systems. In doing so, POSCO AIR SOLUTION aims to further strengthen its unique position as a specialized producer of rare gas resources for future industries.

In June, POSCO AIR SOLUTION completed the construction of a high-purity rare gas production plant with an annual capacity of 130,000 normal cubic meters (Nm³)* at the Donghoan site of Gwangyang Steelworks. With this facility, the company became the first in Korea to establish a complete value chain covering everything from raw material procurement to product manufacturing for four types of rare gases, securing a stable mass production system. More recently, in electric thruster propellant technology development tests for satellites and space exploration vehicles conducted by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), the company’s xenon (Xe) and krypton (Kr) gases demonstrated performance equivalent to imported products, proving globally competitive quality suitable for aerospace applications.

* Normal cubic meter (Nm³) is a unit used to measure flow and volume. “N” stands for “Normal,” referring to standard conditions (typically 0°C and 1 atmosphere), and “m³” refers to cubic meters.

KIM Dae Yeon, President of POSCO AIR SOLUTION, stated, “This AS9100D certification proves that our high-purity rare gas manufacturing capabilities and quality management system are at a world-class level. Based on the high quality standards required by global customers, we will establish ourselves as a trusted key supplier in the aerospace and defense rare gas market.” He added, “By ensuring the stable supply of high-quality rare gases, we will serve as a core pillar of POSCO group’s strategic resources portfolio.”

LEE Il Hyung, Representative Director of LRQA Korea, noted during the ceremony, “POSCO AIR SOLUTION’s achievement in meeting these rigorous international standards for rare gas quality is particularly meaningful as it marks a first in Asia. We expect the company to play a vital role in the future development of the global aerospace industry.”

In July, POSCO group announced its vision to become a leading supplier of key national resources by reshaping its business portfolio and establishing a “Triple Core” system encompassing industrial resources (steel), strategic resources (including lithium, rare earths, and rare gases), and energy resources (such as LNG). In particular, the group plans to foster rare and specialty gases—essential materials for the semiconductor and aerospace industries—as strategic resources, creating new growth engines and helping stabilize supply chains for the nation’s future industries.

▲ KIM Dae Yeon, President of POSCO AIR SOLUTION (left), and LEE Il Hyung, Representative Director of LRQA Korea, pose for a commemorative photograph during a certificate presentation ceremony for the aerospace and defense quality management system held at POSCO Center on August 6.

Developing a Platform to Manage the AI Agent Lifecycle and Promoting Autonomy in Office Environments

The Only Full-Stack Company in Korea with Integrated Capabilities Across AI, OT, and IT Layers

POSCO DX (CEO Shim Min-suk) is accelerating technology development and commercialization after declaring its transition into an “AI Native Company.”

On July 29, POSCO DX held a press conference at Lotte Hotel Seoul and announced a business strategy to leap forward as an “AI Native Company,” centering on two pillars: “Physical AI” for industrial sites and “Agentic AI” for office work.

First, the company is focusing on expanding Physical AI to realize an intelligent factory where the three key entities-humans, AI, and on-site equipment & robots-collaborate organically. The core idea is to achieve the robotization of equipment by integrating Physical AI technology into industrial sites to optimally control large-scale machinery. Through this, Physical AI is being applied to steel mill equipment weighing tens of tons, such as large cranes transporting steel materials, reclaimers transferring raw materials in the yard, and ship raw material unloaders, thereby ensuring worker safety and enhancing productivity. Furthermore, the company explained that it is establishing a system in which the tacit knowledge possessed by highly skilled operators is converted into core data for Physical AI, enabling AI to collaborate with humans in the on-site control room to operate robots and equipment.

POSCO DX is also actively promoting the application of industrial robots in high-intensity and high-risk sites. It provides robot automation services ranging from consulting and design to construction and operation, and possesses a strength in supporting optimal robot operation by securing a platform for heterogeneous robot management in collaboration with POSCO. In particular, it designs optimal robot systems based on simulation and is pursuing the advancement of robot locomotion and manipulation through the development of VLA (Vision Language Action) models applied to mobile robots, such as humanoids.

On this day, the company introduced examples of robots performing high-intensity and high-risk tasks, such as robots for removing impurities from the melting furnace in the galvanizing process of the steel mill, band cutter robots in the cold rolling process, and AGVs for automatically transporting 65-ton steel products. In addition, they shared the robotization of raw material sampling and logistics automation tasks for eco-friendly material and vehicle parts production plants.

POSCO DX has independently developed ‘Agentee,’ a platform designed to implement agentic AI for office and management environments. It integrates the lifecycle of AI agents—from recruitment and evaluation to training, promotion, and retirement—much like human employees. Based on this, the company plans to promote the autonomization of office and management tasks through domain-specific ‘AI employees.’ First, AX Consulting is conducted to analyze corporate workflows and design business processes where roles are divided and performed by humans and AI agents. Based on this, Agentee develops customized agents or repurposes existing ones. A key advantage is that the entire process, from design to development, is carried out within Agentee according to standardized methodologies, enabling the rapid deployment of AI agents.

At the event, examples of utilizing AI agents in tasks such as finance, human resources, labor relations, and business management were presented. It was explained that an innovative case was observed regarding the monthly recurring “pre-settlement risk check” task, where the agent automatically scanned all account categories to identify abnormal accounts and missing vouchers, and even generated risk reports, thereby reducing the task time from approximately three hours to within one minute. The company expects that expanding the application of AI agents to the entire accounting settlement process will improve productivity by at least 30% compared to the current level. Currently, the company has developed and is operating over 200 AI agents for POSCO group companies, including POSCO DX, and plans to establish and disseminate a standard model for the group while supplying the verified platform to the external market.

A POSCO DX official emphasized, “As the only full-stack company in Korea equipped with integrated capabilities across all levels from operational systems (OT) to IT, we will leap forward as the company that best implements physical AI and agentic AI services by integrating AX technology based on our combined capabilities and understanding of physical and office domains.”

Meanwhile, POSCO group has established a ‘Mission-oriented AX’ strategy and is accelerating its major AI transformation centered on three axes: Process, Work, and Value. Furthermore, at the CEO Investor Day held on July 2, the group unveiled a vision to establish a ‘Triple-core’ system encompassing industrial resources (steel), strategic resources (lithium, cathode and anode materials, rare earth elements, etc.), and energy resources (LNG, renewable energy). In addition, regarding new business areas, the group announced plans to commercialize physical AI for the process industry, based on the experience in equipment automation and intelligence accumulated in the steel sector and a vast amount of field data.

▲ ▲ POSCO DX’s Sim-to-Real Simulation for Robot Automation of the Drive Motor Core Stator Production Line at POSCO Mobility Solution

▲ POSCO DX’s Sim-to-Real Simulation for Robot Automation of the Drive Motor Core Stator Production Line at POSCO Mobility Solution

Results improved quarter-on-quarter across all segments, including steel, secondary battery materials, and energy

POSCO-Argentina successfully turned profitable in Q2… POSCO Future M’s profitability recovered on cathode material inventory valuation gains and increased anode material sales

POSCO International posted a record quarterly operating profit on stronger lng and palm oil earnings… POSCO E&C maintained a solid trend through expanded orders in its building business

POSCO Holdings announced on July 30 consolidated results for the second quarter of 2026, posting sales of KRW 19.259 trillion, operating profit of KRW 819 billion, and net profit of KRW 761 billion.

Despite a worsening business environment caused by Middle East energy supply chain risks and a strong won trend, POSCO Holdings continued its improvement momentum, with consolidated sales and profit increasing since the fourth quarter of last year, led by a turnaround in the secondary battery materials segment and strong performance in the infrastructure business segment.

In the steel segment, POSCO slightly increased sales and operating profit quarter-on-quarter, supported by higher selling prices and sales volume despite rising raw material costs and oil prices.

In the secondary battery materials segment, POSCO Future M improved operating profit quarter-on-quarter thanks to cathode material inventory valuation gains and a recovery in sales volume of anode materials to major customers.

In addition, POSCO-Argentina achieved its first quarterly turnaround to profit through stabilized operations at its first salt-lake lithium plant and equipment improvements. In the second half of the year, the completion of the second plant is expected to increase initial operating costs, but the company plans to improve profitability through phased production increases and expanded sales.

POSCO Pilbara Lithium Solution improved earnings through expanded sales and higher prices, while POSCO HY Clean Metal has been posting monthly profits since December 2025 thanks to high utilization and enhanced cost competitiveness.

In the infrastructure segment, POSCO International achieved its highest-ever quarterly operating profit, as profits from its Myanmar and Australian gas fields and Indonesia palm business all continued to grow. POSCO E&C defended profitability through improved earnings in its building business.

POSCO Holdings has also revised upward its restructuring targets under the corporate restructuring program implemented since 2024, raising the goal from completing 128 transactions by 2027 and generating KRW 2.8 trillion in cash to completing 129 transactions by 2028 and generating KRW 3.5 trillion in cash. In the first half of this year, POSCO Holdings secured about KRW 480 billion in cash through 12 restructuring transactions, bringing cumulative restructuring to 85 transactions and total cash generation to KRW 2.2 trillion.

Based on first-half achievements including a turnaround to profit in the lithium business, start-up of POSCO Gwangyang Works’ new electric arc furnace, and POSCO International’s record quarterly operating profit, POSCO Holdings plans to enhance profitability and pursue strategic investments in parallel, following its triple core strategy of industrial resources (steel), strategic resources (lithium, rare earths, rare gases, etc.), and energy resources (LNG, etc.), thereby continuing to grow corporate value.

Minister of Trade, Industry and Resource KIM Jung Kwan and POSCO group Chairman CHANG In Hwa attended the ceremony, discussing cooperation on local permitting and investment conditions

Diversified the permanent magnet value chain with Brazilian rare earths as part of POSCO group’s “Triple-Core” strategy to strengthen its resource supply chain

POSCO group is creating synergies with Brazil to secure the domestic supply chain for core materials and unlock new growth opportunities

POSCO group (POSCO HOLDINGS CEO CHANG In Hwa) is stepping up efforts to secure and diversify its core mineral supply chain by partnering with Meteoric Resources, a rare earth supplier in Brazil.

On the 28th (local time), POSCO INTERNATIONAL signed a strategic memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Meteoric Resources, the rare earth development company currently working on a project in Brazil, at the Grand Hyatt São Paulo in Brazil to secure a stable supply of rare earth raw materials and establish a resilient supply chain.

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister of Trade, Industry and Resource KIM Jung Kwan, POSCO HOLDINGS CEO CHANG In Hwa, POSCO INTERNATIONAL President LEE Kye In, and Meteoric Resources CEO Stuart Gale, underscoring the significance of the partnership as a joint effort between the two countries’ governments and companies to strengthen cooperation on critical minerals.

Under the MOU, the two companies agreed to cooperate closely throughout the project, including ▲ negotiating key commercial terms for a long-term rare earth supply agreement, ▲ pursuing an equity investment linked to the long-term supply agreement, and ▲ executing a Definitive Agreement.

Under the partnership, Meteoric Resources will supply rare earth intermediate products from its Caldeira Project in Minas Gerais, Brazil, to POSCO INTERNATIONAL. POSCO INTERNATIONAL will then produce rare earth oxides under its independently developed separation and refining project and provide a stable supply to major permanent magnet manufacturers in Korea and abroad.

CEO CHANG In Hwa said, “By linking POSCO group’s integrated rare earth value chain—spanning raw material procurement, separation and refining, and ultimately permanent magnet production—with Brazil’s status as home to the world’s second-largest rare earth reserves, we will help stabilize Korea’s supply chain for the core materials essential to the future mobility industry, while also opening up new growth opportunities for the Group.”

POSCO group is already expanding its presence in the global market, having secured a series of supply agreements with leading automakers in North America and Europe for rare earth permanent magnets used in electric vehicle (EV) traction motors. The Group plans to maximize the competitiveness of its value chain, from raw material procurement to final product supply, by integrating Brazilian rare earth raw materials into the global automotive supply chain.

Meanwhile, at its Investor Day held on July 2, POSCO group unveiled its “Triple-Core” strategy, centered on industrial resources (steel), strategic resources (lithium, rare earths, and rare gases), and energy resources (LNG and renewable energy). POSCO group is focusing its capabilities on securing mineral resources that are vital to national economic security and serve as core materials for future industries, while diversifying its global supply chain to reduce reliance on any single country.

In the strategic resources sector, the Group is strengthening its competitive position through early investments in high-quality assets, including the Hombre Muerto Norte Lithium brine project in Argentina and the Wodgina and Mt. Marion lithium mines in Australia, while also planning to reinforce its leadership in the global supply chain by completing a full-cycle value chain for critical minerals, including rare earths. As part of this effort, the Group signed an MOU in July with Mongolia’s Chinggis Khaan Sovereign Wealth Fund to cooperate in the critical minerals sector.

▲ POSCO HOLDINGS CEO CHANG In Hwa, POSCO INTERNATIONAL CEO LEE Kye In, South Korean Industry Minister KIM Jung Kwan, Meteoric Resources CEO Stuart Gale and Meteoric Resources Brazil CEO Marcelo de Carvalho (from L to R) pose for a photo after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen the rare earth supply chain during a bilateral business roundtable in Brazil on July 28, 2026, in this photo provided by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource.

Enabled real-time sharing of transaction information between the headquarters and overseas subsidiaries through a shared ledger

Tokenized accounts receivable as real-world assets (RWAs)

Validated AI agent-based automation of trade operations and other key capabilities

On the 23rd, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO LEE Kye-In) announced that it has completed a proof of concept (PoC) for a blockchain- and AI-based trade finance infrastructure in collaboration with LG CNS, applying the technologies in a real-world global trading environment.

POSCO INTERNATIONAL undertook this PoC to improve the efficiency of managing the growing volume of transactions and settlements with overseas subsidiaries driven by its global business expansion, while accelerating the digital transformation of its trade operations. The company demonstrated digital technologies for global trade in three key areas: ▲ real-time sharing of transaction information through a shared ledger, ▲ tokenization of accounts receivable as real-world assets (RWAs), and ▲ AI agent-based automation of trade operations.

The validation focused on assessing whether digitally connecting and automating transaction, settlement, and document review processes across global trade operations could improve operational efficiency and strengthen risk management. POSCO INTERNATIONAL provided the proof-of-concept environment based on its global trade network and real-world transaction data, while LG CNS was responsible for system architecture design and the validation of blockchain and AI technologies.

First, the two companies implemented a shared ledger system based on blockchain to enable real-time sharing of transaction information among headquarters, overseas subsidiaries, and trading partners. In the past, transaction information required repetitive verification during the contract and settlement processes as it was managed separately by country and subsidiary. Under the shared ledger-based structure, all transaction participants can access and verify the same transaction information in real time, reducing operational risks caused by information discrepancies while improving the efficiency of contractual and settlement processes.

In the area of tokenizing accounts receivable as RWAs, the company validated a framework that enables receivables generated from actual trade transactions to be issued, transferred, settled, traded, and managed as digital assets. The technical validation utilized Injective, a blockchain network specialized for the corporate finance environment.

Based on the Injective network’s architecture—which allows compliance, privacy, and regulatory response functions to be integrated into the protocol layer—the project also validated the control functions necessary for corporate finance. Specifically, the companies verified the feasibility of implementing permission-based asset management, Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) procedures, investor eligibility screening, and asset transfer restrictions, while assessing whether blockchain technology could be applied to the entire process of inter-company accounts receivable transactions.

An AI agent capable of automatically reading documents and detecting errors was applied to the review of letters of credit (LCs) and trade documents to evaluate its ability to reduce variations in review quality resulting from differences in the proficiency of personnel and to minimize human errors.

Global trade operations require a high level of expertise, as the required documents and procedures vary by country, trading partner, and contract terms. In particular, even minor errors, such as typographical mistakes in letters of credit (LCs) or omitted clauses, can result in payment delays or even payment rejections. The evaluation confirmed that utilizing the AI agent during the preliminary review stage enables the early identification of potential risks and helps reduce variations in work quality across overseas subsidiaries.

“This PoC is significant as it demonstrated the practical applicability of AI and blockchain technologies in a real-world trade environment,” said a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official. “We plan to finalize our pilot operation plans in the second half of this year, focusing on areas where the PoC confirmed meaningful improvements in operational efficiency.”

▲ POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s headquarters in Songdo.

With proven profitability and growth potential in the lithium sector, proactive investments will propel POSCO into a Global Top 5 lithium company by 2033.

For the steel sector, growth investments in promising overseas markets will begin in earnest, with returns reinvested into the domestic low-carbon transition.

The energy sector will contribute to national energy security by expanding LNG trading and entering the renewable energy market.

To resolve the holding company discount, the ownership stakes in listed operating subsidiaries will be optimized.

POSCO group announced a new future growth strategy aimed at restructuring its business portfolio around resources, extending beyond steel to include lithium and energy, thereby contributing to national industrial security and strengthening the supply chain.

On July 2, POSCO group hosted its ‘CEO Investor Day’, where it unveiled its vision to become a ‘Representative Supplier of Core Resources for the Nation’ by establishing a ‘Triple-core’ framework encompassing Industrial Resources (Steel), Strategic Resources (Lithium, Cathode and Anode Materials, Rare Earths, etc.), and Energy Resources (LNG, Renewable Energy).

Standing before investors, CHANG In Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, emphasized, “At a time when external uncertainties are intensifying due to supply chain instability and the acceleration of the low-carbon transition, we must seize this moment to create new growth opportunities through bold innovations in our business portfolio.” He added, “By expanding our business domain from steel and materials into resources, we will lead the way in strengthening national industrial security and supply chains.” He also presented concrete targets of achieving consolidated revenue of KRW 187 trillion and operating profit of KRW 13.1 trillion by 2035.

Strategic resources, led by lithium, received the most attention. Investor interest was highly concentrated as the lithium business demonstrated tangible results and its growth potential became evident.

POSCO group unveiled a blueprint to establish an annual lithium production capacity of 173,000 tons by 2033, positioning itself as a Global Top 5 lithium company, while targeting operating profit of more than KRW 1.8 trillion from the lithium business by 2035..

Specifically, in the brine lithium business, POSCO Argentina turned profitable last March and recently secured approval under the Argentine government’s Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI), which is expected to further strengthen its profitability. With the goal of achieving an annual brine lithium production capacity of 100,000 tons by 2033, the company will also accelerate Phase 3 and Phase 4 investments.

In the ore lithium business, a joint venture agreement with Australia’s Mineral Resources Limited has laid the foundation for expanding the refining business, securing more than 187,000 tons of lithium concentrate annually. This is also expected to generate stable annual revenue of approximately KRW 200 billion.

POSCO group also plans to foster rare earths, key minerals for the electric vehicle and robotics industries, as well as rare and specialty gases essential for advanced industries, as strategic resources. These businesses will serve as new growth engines while helping stabilize supply chains for the nation’s future industries. In the steel business, representing its Industrial Resources segment, the group will accelerate overseas growth investments to overcome stagnant domestic demand. By 2031, it plans to expand production capacity to 10 million tons in high-growth, high-profitability markets such as India, the United States, and Indonesia. Profits generated from these investments will be reinvested in Korea’s low-carbon transition, creating a virtuous cycle.

The energy resources business, now established as one of the group’s core businesses, will focus on securing both profitability and sustainability. In LNG, POSCO group will steadily execute expansion strategies across the value chain while expanding trading volumes in response to the recent increase in global cargo movements. In renewable energy, the group will actively enter Korea’s offshore wind market and overseas solar power markets, contributing to national energy security.

In the new business sector, POSCO group will promote the commercialization of Physical AI for process industries by leveraging its extensive on-site data and expertise in facility automation and intelligent operations accumulated through its steel business.

To accelerate the execution of this business portfolio transformation, POSCO group plans to invest KRW 16.7 trillion in future growth initiatives over the next three years (2026–2028).

Meanwhile, POSCO HOLDINGS plans to optimize its ownership stakes in listed subsidiaries to around 50% in order to address the persistent holding company discount in the market. The capital secured through this initiative will be invested primarily in strategic resource projects directly managed by POSCO HOLDINGS to support the group’s future growth. In addition, an amount equivalent to 10% of the proceeds from these transactions will be used for share buybacks and cancellations to maximize shareholder value.

Following the event in Korea, POSCO group will continue to enhance corporate value and strengthen investor communication by hosting consecutive CEO Investor Days in Singapore on July 6 and Hong Kong on July 8.

▲ CHANG In Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, personally presents the group’s business portfolio strategy at the ‘CEO Investor Day’ held on July 2.

▲ CHANG In Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, personally presents the group’s business portfolio strategy at the ‘CEO Investor Day’ held on July 2.

▲ CHANG In Hwa, CEO of POSCO HOLDINGS, personally presents the group’s business portfolio strategy at the ‘CEO Investor Day’ held on July 2.

Attracts orders four times the offering size, validating business competitiveness and growth potential

Strengthens position as a global blue-chip issuer with a stable portfolio spanning energy, materials, and agro

On the 23rd, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO LEE Kye In) issued its first global bond since its founding, making a successful debut in the global capital markets.

This bond was issued as a single tranche of USD 500 million with a five-year maturity, and the final issuance rate was fixed at 90 bps over the five-year U.S. Treasury yield. With the total order book reaching USD 2 billion, which is four times the issuance amount, the bond was priced 30 bps tighter than the initial price guidance (IPG).

This issuance is significant as it marks the company’s first independently issued global bond in the overseas capital markets. Despite heightened volatility in global financial markets amid recent tensions in the Middle East, the company successfully secured strong demand from large-scale investors, earning widespread recognition from global investors for its business competitiveness and growth potential.

Ahead of the issuance, the company held investor presentations and global conference calls for major institutional investors in the United States, Europe, and Asia. During these sessions, it highlighted its well-balanced business portfolio across energy, materials, and agro, as well as its stable revenue structure and role as a core affiliate of the POSCO Group. Investors showed strong interest in the company’s business stability and growth prospects, resulting in orders totaling four times the offering size.

In particular, investors paid close attention to the company’s growth strategy, which focuses on its energy and agro businesses. POSCO INTERNATIONAL is strengthening its competitiveness across the LNG value chain by expanding the production capacity of Senex Energy in Australia, while accelerating the growth of its global food business, centered on PT.PAR, its Indonesian palm business subsidiary.

The funds raised through the issuance will be used to repay existing foreign currency borrowings and for general corporate purposes. By region, investors from Asia accounted for 67%, followed by the U.S. at 27% and Europe at 6%. By investor type, asset managers accounted for 65%, banks for 33%, and other investors for 2%. It is notable that U.S. investors accounted for 27% of the total despite this being the company’s debut issuance. The strong participation from U.S. investors, who represent the world’s largest bond investor base, demonstrates that POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s creditworthiness is widely recognized among core investors. This solid foundation is expected to support the company’s efforts to secure a stable overseas funding base going forward.

The issuance was jointly led by BNP Paribas, Citi, Crédit Agricole, HSBC, Mizuho, and Korea Development Bank as joint bookrunners. Global credit rating agencies S&P and Moody’s assigned investment-grade ratings of BBB and Baa2, respectively, to POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s U.S. dollar-denominated bonds.

“This global bond issuance reflects the recognition of our competitiveness and growth potential in overseas capital markets,” a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official stated. “We will build a stable financing system by diversifying our funding currencies and expanding our overseas investor base, while further strengthening our position as a global blue-chip issuer.”

Meanwhile, POSCO INTERNATIONAL plans to use this opportunity to expand engagement with global capital markets and continue strengthening its overseas investor base. The company also plans to reinforce its future growth foundation across its energy, materials, and agro businesses while enhancing its competitiveness as a global integrated corporation.

▲ POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s headquarters in Songdo.

Marks a new growth phase in its agro business by securing seed capabilities

POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO LEE Kye-In) has completed the post-merger integration (PMI) of Sampoerna Agro, the Indonesian palm company it acquired last year, and has officially unveiled the new corporate identity (CI) for the company, which has been renamed Prime Agri Resources (PT.PAR).

The unveiling of the new CI marks the official launch of PT.PAR and underscores POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s establishment of a fully integrated palm business value chain spanning seed development, plantation operations, and refining.

On June 17, POSCO INTERNATIONAL held a ceremony to unveil PT.PAR’s new CI at the Raffles Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. PT.PAR completed the necessary legal procedures in Indonesia in January and finalized its official company name. This ceremony was held to officially announce the completion of the post-merger integration (PMI) and introduce the company’s new corporate identity to both internal and external stakeholders.

The event was attended by YOON Soon Gu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia, Eddy Martono, Chairman of the Indonesian Palm Oil Association, and other major business partners and industry stakeholders.

POSCO INTERNATIONAL made an investment of approximately KRW 1.3 trillion between last year and early this year to acquire a controlling stake in Sampoerna Agro, expanding its palm plantation holdings by 128,000 hectares across Sumatra and Kalimantan. This acquisition provided POSCO INTERNATIONAL with a seed-specialized subsidiary securing the second-largest market share in Indonesia, along with advanced R&D capabilities, further enhancing the company’s competitiveness in the palm business.

Through this acquisition, POSCO INTERNATIONAL has expanded its business scope beyond its existing plantation-focused operations to include seed development capabilities. Going forward, PT.PAR will serve as the core production base for POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s palm business and as the hub of its seed business operations.

With the launch of PT.PAR, POSCO INTERNATIONAL has completed a three-company structure for its Indonesian palm business, comprising PT.BIA, PT.PAR, and PT.ARC. △PT.BIA operates palm plantations in the Papua region (26,000 ha), △PT.PAR conducts plantation and seed businesses in the Sumatra and Kalimantan regions (128,000 ha), and △PT.ARC is a palm oil refining joint venture established with GS Caltex (annual refining capacity of 500,000 tons).

Through this network, POSCO INTERNATIONAL has achieved vertical integration across the entire palm business value chain, from seed development and plantation operations to crude palm oil production, refined oil production, and the supply of biofuel feedstocks. The company plans to move beyond plantation operations and establish itself as a global food and materials platform covering a broad range of food and bio-based raw materials.

The combined area of palm plantations in Indonesia owned by POSCO INTERNATIONAL is 154,000 hectares, approximately 2.5 times the size of Seoul. As the benefits of its expanded production base and enhanced seed business capabilities are expected to materialize fully, the company aims to more than double its palm business operating profit this year compared to the previous year.

Meanwhile, the new PT.PAR CI features a palm tree symbol and organically flowing curves that represent the connectivity of the palm business value chain—from seed development and plantation operations to palm oil production—while reflecting the company’s vision for sustainable growth.

“The launch of PT.PAR and the unveiling of its new CI mark a new phase of growth in our agro business, driven by an expanded production base and enhanced seed business capabilities in the palm sector,” a POSCO INTERNATIONAL official stated. “We will continue to strengthen the competitiveness of our palm business and further solidify our position as a global food and materials platform.”

▲ POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s subsidiary PT.PAR is holding a Corporate Identity (CI) launch ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia. (From the 8th person on the left in the back row: LEE Kye in, President of POSCO INTERNATIONAL; YOON Soon gu, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Indonesia; and Eddy Martono, Chairman of the Palm Oil Association.)

▲ POSCO INTERNATIONAL’s Indonesia Palm Business Portfolio

▲ New CI of PT.PAR (palm tree-inspired logo)