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.

Invested USD 40 million to acquire a larger stake in the Mahenge graphite mine in Tanzania

Signed a global sales rights agreement for industrial graphite for steel and cement to expand its business

Raised expectations for POSCO Group’s ‘completion of full value chain for secondary battery materials’

POSCO INTERNATIONAL is working diligently to complete the ‘construction of full value chain for secondary battery materials.’

On the 3rd, during the ‘45th Korea-Australia Economic Cooperation Committee Joint Meeting’ held at Crown Towers Perth in Australia, POSCO INTERNATIONAL (CEO Lee Kye-In) signed an investment agreement worth USD 40 million with the Australian mining company Black Rock Mining.

The signing ceremony was attended by Jeong In-Kyo, Trade Minister of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy; Madeleine King, Australian Federal Resources Minister; Chang In-Hwa, POSCO Group Chairman; Lee Kye-In, POSCO INTERNATIONAL CEO; and Kim Jun-Hyung, head of POSCO Holdings’ secondary battery materials department.

Since Chang In-Hwa took over as chairman in March, POSCO Group has proactively developed strategies to build a ‘full value chain for secondary batteries,’ and is also adapting flexibly to market changes, aligning with the global trend of establishing a domestic secondary battery industry network.

Taking advantage of the chasm (temporary downturn in demand) in the electric vehicle (EV) market, the company is actively securing promising assets, such as lithium salt deposits and mines, while expanding its presence in the secondary battery materials sector, which is essential for a sustainable and eco-friendly future, thereby enhancing the overall value and sustainability of the group.

Thanks to the investment agreement made by POSCO INTERNATIONAL, POSCO Group has acquired a 19.9% stake in Black Rock Mining, the owner of the Mahenge mine in Tanzania. This move will secure early access to graphite from the mine and establish a robust supply chain while expanding its graphite business through global sales rights agreement for industrial graphite.

Black Rock Mining’s graphite reserves are estimated at around 6 million tons, making it the second-largest in the world. Last year, POSCO INTERNATIONAL already completed the first phase of development in collaboration with Black Rock Mining. Once first-phase production begins, the company expects to receive a total of 750,000 tons of graphite over 25 years, averaging 30,000 tons per year.

With the recent completion of the second-phase contract, the company will secure an additional 30,000 tons of graphite annually for up to 25 years. POSCO Group anticipates that this will enable them to produce anode materials (POSCO FUTURE M) that comply with the United States’ Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), while enhancing the global competitiveness of the domestic eco-friendly vehicle supply chain.

The company is also expected to expand its graphite business scope following the signing of a global sales rights agreement for industrial graphite, which is used in steel, cement, and auto parts. The industrial graphite produced from this mine is projected to meet the domestic demand in Korea, thereby significantly enhancing the country’s mineral resource security.

“We will continue to identify projects that enhance the global competitiveness of key national industries, such as steel and secondary battery materials,” POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-Hwa stated. “Additionally, we will actively utilize the group’s diverse industrial portfolio and global network to establish supply chains that also contribute to national security.”

Black Rock Mining plans to raise capital through this investment and begin construction on mine development within this year, aiming to commence full-scale commercial production by 2026.