The James A. Van Fleet Award was established by The Korea Society in 1995 to honor the late General James Van Fleet, who was commander of the U.S. Eighth Army during the Korean War. It is given annually to an individual or organization who has contributed to the promotion of U.S.-Korea relations.

The Korea Society, which has made great efforts to improve cooperation and exchange between the two countries in the U.S., presents the award each year at its Annual Dinner.

Past recipients of the award include Secretary-General of the UN, Kimoon Ban (2004), former U.S. President George H. W. Bush (2005), Samsung CEO Kunhee Lee (2006) and former President of the Republic of Korea Daejung Kim (2007).

Notable & Quotable: Korea

‘If the U.S. had not come to the aid of the Korean people, or if we in the South had lost the war, I would not be standing here.’

During the Korean War, Gen. James Van Fleet brought not only an exceptional military record but also leadership of great stature with the highest ideals. He courageously commanded the U.N. troops at the very forefront during the Korean War, with the steadfast goals of defending the people of the Republic of Korea and preserving democracy on the Korean Peninsula.

His own son, Lt. James Van Fleet Jr., also volunteered as a combat pilot but tragically went missing in action during his mission near the Yalu River. Gen. Van Fleet suspended the search-and-rescue operations for his son out of concern for putting additional soldiers’ lives at risk.

Although his son James never made it back home, his noble spirit of self-sacrifice will be remembered forever by those of us with any connection to the Korean War conflict.

In fact, this is the story I read in the social-studies book when I was in the fifth grade in elementary school. That was also my first encounter with Gen. Van Fleet. The name of Gen. Van Fleet has remained embedded in the hearts and in the minds of the Korean people, symbolizing the strong bonds . . . between our two nations.

In today’s modern era where self-centered egoism is often the generally accepted norm, James Van Fleet’s legacy of bravery and sacrifice continues to serve as a valuable moral lesson for today’s young generation of Koreans.

Tomorrow, I will be traveling to Washington, D.C., to visit Arlington National Cemetery and pay homage and tribute to Gen. James Van Fleet and the fallen soldiers who gave their lives on Korean soil.

On a personal note, I was born just 20 days before the outbreak of the Korean War, in a small town in South Korea. One of the fiercest battles in modern history was recorded near the Nakdong River close to my hometown, and this battle forced my family to evacuate southwards. The evacuation trail stretched 200 kilometers or 125 miles, and my parents had a hard time carrying a 20-day-old newborn baby enwrapped in blankets.

I still recall, when I was studying metallurgical engineering at the University of Pittsburgh some 40 years ago, how fortunate and privileged I felt to have the opportunity to come to the United States to further pursue my studies and career ambitions. If the U.S. had not come to the aid of the Korean people, or if we in the South had lost the war, I would not be standing here.

** This content was published on May 20 in the Wall Street Journal.

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Steel and Skyscrapers: A Brief History

The history of skyscrapers dates back to the second half of the 19th century when steel became a cornerstone of the world’s industrial economy. Steel framing and steel reinforced concrete made “curtain-wall” architecture possible, which led to the world’s first skyscrapers. Steel further evolved the capabilities of skyscrapers, allowing them to reach new heights. From the humble beginnings of the first skyscraper, the Home Insurance Building, built in Chicago in 1895 and standing 42m, skyscrapers now reach extraordinary heights.

Here are the four tallest skyscrapers in four of the regions of the world today. 

Burj Khalifa, Dubai, Middle East

Rising to 829.8m over the gulf city of Dubai, the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Designed by Skidmore Owings and Merill (SOM), the Burj Khalifa used a bundled tube design and a composite of steel and concrete to reach its record height. The Burj Khalifa employed a bundled tube system which is a system of construction that uses an interconnected frame of steel tubes. Thirty-nine thousand tons of steel rebar was needed for the construction. The Burj Khalifa houses a mix of residential, corporate and retail space.

Shanghai Tower, Shanghai, Asia

Standing 632m, the 128-story Shanghai Tower is located in Shanghai’s financial district of Lujiazui, Pudong in China. Though currently still under construction, following its topping out in 2013, the Shanghai Tower is the tallest building in China and the second-tallest building in the world, surpassed only by the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Shanghai Tower is the tallest of a group of three adjacent supertall buildings in Pudong and is composed of three important design strategies, the asymmetry of the tower’s shape, its tapering profile and its rounded corners, all of which will allow it to withstand typhoon wind forces common in Shanghai. 

One World Trade Center, New York, North America

Designed by the same firm that designed the Burj Khalifa, the 104-story One World Trade Center reaches a height of 417m. Including the spire, its total height is 541m (1,776 ft.), a tribute to 1776, the year the U.S. won its independence. Surpassing the Willis Tower (formerly Sear’s Tower) in Chicago, the One World Trade Center is the tallest building in the U.S. The tower’s structure is designed around a strong, but lightweight, steel frame made of beams and columns. The lighter structures enabled savings in greenhouse gases and a 30 percent decrease in carbon emissions during construction. There are 70 elevators and nine escalators in the One World Trade Center. (Image: http://bit.ly/1DsqmBK)

The Shard, London, European Union

The Shard is a 72-story glass pyramid tower, rising above the city of London. It was completed in 2012, and stands 245m. The design uses an intelligent combination of steel and concrete. Steel structures were used from the ground floor to the 40th floor. From there to the 69th floor, concrete replaces the framing material, before the design reverts back to steel. Construction required 12,000 tons of steel.

As the world continues to grow and urbanize the ability to adapt building structures and materials will continue to evolve. Steel will continue to be essential in helping the world’s buildings reach new heights.

The infographic below shows how each of these four gravity-defying structures compare. See how each stack up in height and the amount of steel necessary to make each possible. (Image: http://bit.ly/1eUAFTc)

Reshaping Women’s Fashion

Perhaps no other clothing item has played a more influential role in fashion than the corset. It first made an appearance in fashion 500 years ago, when it was used to mold the upper torso into a rigid cone-like shape. During this time, baleen (whalebone) was used as boning to support the desired shape and prevent wrinkling of the fabric. (Images: http://bit.ly/1SPecWV and http://bit.ly/1BFWH75 )

As baleen became more expensive, and the ideal body shape of the woman began to change in the 17^th and 18^th centuries, steel became the dominant boning material and was used to make the corset accentuate a woman’s natural curves. This led to a widespread public outcry: from medical doctors regarding health risks, from religious leaders upset about the garment’s revealing nature and from feminists, who claimed the corset was symbolic of the imprisonment of women at the time. (Though, it should be noted that even men and young children wore corsets, too!)

In the early 1900s, fashion placed greater emphasis on comfort and rigid steel boning was replaced by more flexible steel boning. Today, corsets are mostly limited to historical dramas and lingerie shops, but the item will forever be a symbol of “sexy” steel and femininity.

The Crinoline Craze

In the mid-19^th century, the crinoline, a structured petticoat, became a hot trend and was sported by just about every woman in the Western world.

Originally structured with horsehair, steel was widely used in the 1850s to make the hoop skirts spread out more fully. This new style was so popular that in 1859, the New York factory of Thomson & Co., one of the most significant manufacturers of the item, used 300,000 yards of steel wire every week to produce between three and four thousand crinolines per day. Likewise, the company’s rival, Douglas & Sherwood, used a ton of steel each week in manufacturing hoop skirts at its factory in Manhattan. (Images: http://bit.ly/1LtOLrU )

The crinoline eventually fell out of fashion, but was revived in the 1940s and 50s, and again in the 80s, when Vivienne Westwood created the mini-crini. This item was designed to embody two conflicting ideals of the era – the crinoline, representing a “mythology of restriction and encumbrance in woman’s dress,” and the miniskirt, symbolizing an “equally dubious mythology of liberation.” 

Steel-Inspired Subcultures

Other steel trends that cropped up during the 1970s-90s were inspired by the punk, heavy metal and rivethead subcultures that flourished during the three decades. The cultures’ associated dress styles incorporated military aesthetics, such as steel toe boots, with hints of Punk, like spikes and studs. Often, these styles were complemented by tattoos, piercings and scarification. (Image: http://bit.ly/1eTOaDE )

Steel toe boots, such as Dr. Martens, Gripfasts and Grinders, which had originally been used as a safety measure for industrial workers, became a popular choice of footwear for their rough and tough reputation. So tough, in fact, that they’ve been known to be the catalyst of injured concert-goers as a result of crowd surfing gone wrong.

Metallics in the New Millennium

When the 2000s began, fashion trends were highly influenced by technology. “Y2K fashion” featured a monochromatic futuristic approach with metallic hues, and a heavy use of the color gray, straps and buckles. Apparel was made to be reflective, technological and sexy, and even electronics became an accessory to complete the Y2K look. (Images: http://bit.ly/1JhFiBR ; http://bit.ly/1edGVFR )

This year, metallics, which capture the vibrancy of steel, have made a comeback on the catwalk. Designers have once again rolled out sophisticated styles with reflective touches, which fashionistas pair with toned-down staples like buttoned-up blouses and printed shirts to keep things shiny but not overly blinding.

Time will only tell what the future of fashion holds. But, if the past offers any hint of what’s to come, and it often does in fashion, then we are likely to see steel on the catwalk again sooner than later.

Both individuals and corporations must become more environmentally responsible, being mindful of the levels of waste water, trash and emissions produced both at home and in the office. Considering these factors in the architectural designs of the future, we can ensure a healthy and sustainable planet. Yet, a number of buildings are a step ahead and have already incorporated sustainability into their own designs, setting the precedent for future architectural endeavors. On this World Environment Day, let’s take a look at a few of them.

Northeast Asia Trade Tower (NEATT)

Standing 68 stories tall, the Northeast Asia Trade Tower in Songdo International Business District, Incheon, is the tallest structure in South Korea. It is also the crown jewel of POSCO’s leading innovative technology, utilizing revolutionary features such as a 3D exterior design, a seismic force resisting system and high level security and anti-disaster measures.

Yet, NEATT, which is a mix of office spaces, a luxury hotel, serviced residences and retail stores, also serves as a model of sustainable design strategies, carefully balancing energy conservation, increased indoor environmental quality and occupant comfort. Its range of passive design strategies, which include daylighting, natural ventilation and energy efficient HVAC systems, as well as its eco-friendly, non-toxic construction materials, have ensured that the skyscraper is not only friendly to the environment, but to its human inhabitants, too.

Monte Rosa Hut

Perched above the skiing mecca of Zermatt, Switzerland, the Monte Rosa Hut is a lodging space used by hikers in route to the summit of the same name on icy glacier treks. The five-story crystal-shaped building was constructed on stainless-steel foundations with a wooden spiral interior covered by a silver aluminum shell. During its construction, materials and workers were transported by train to Zermatt, requiring 3,000 helicopter trips.

The hut uses solar power for about 90 percent of its energy and heat requirements. Excess energy is stored in valve-regulated lead-acid accumulators, which ensure power in all kinds of weather. Large windows allow the sun to heat air inside the building, and melting glaciers in the area provide the lodge’s water supply, which is collected and stored in a nearby reservoir. (Image from http://bit.ly/1AJVsUa)

Meera Sky Garden

Perhaps no other building on this list is as one with nature as the Meera Sky Garden in Sentosa, Singapore. This eye-catching, eco-friendly home was designed by Guz Architects, and it overlooks the island’s harbor.

Divided into four distinctive floors, each of which is covered with a grass roof, the home appears as if it is four separate houses, yet is still seamlessly connected by a natural element. Not only are these garden-like spaces visually pleasing, but the grassy roofs help to keep the interior temperatures at a minimum, saving energy. (Image from http://bit.ly/1ddeBTx)

Pixel

While Pixel’s chaotic, colorful exterior is the first thing one might notice about the small office building in Melbourne, Australia, its sustainable design is what really makes it noteworthy. Some of its design innovations include a panel shade system that allows natural light into the office, while at the same time, reducing glare and heat. More impressively, Pixel utilizes wind turbines to generate its own electricity.

As Australia’s first carbon neutral office building, Pixel was also the first building to ever be granted a perfect score on the country’s Green Star sustainability rating system. (Image from http://bit.ly/1JoxIpS)

Bank of America

When the Bank of America building was erected in Manhattan, New York in 2009, it set the standard for all environmentally responsible buildings to come. Its base-to-roof insulating glass external structure enhances heat insulation while creating a large source of natural light, while the building’s extensive solar panels produce energy for the building.

And the Bank of America knows how to save water. Its greywater system collects and recycles waste from sinks and water fountains into the refrigeration system, while its catchment systems collect and save around 45 inches of rain that fall on the site each year. Such sustainable features landed the skyscraper the LEED Platinum Award, the highest level of the internationally recognized green building rating system.

The Change Initiative

In a city that is seemingly ever under construction, The Change Initiative (TCI), an eco-lifestyle shop that stocks everything from environmentally-conscious detergent to greywater recycling tools, sets itself apart from other buildings in Dubai.

Often noted as one of the most sustainable commercial buildings in the world, the majority of the materials used to create TCI are recyclable. The roof is coated with heat-reflective paint and is embellished with solar panels that generate about 40 percent of the building’s energy, while the building’s outer structure has three times the insulation of the average building. (Image from Gundeep Singh) 

For more information about current worldwide green initiatives and for ways that you can “consume with care,” check out the World Environment Day website.

Thanks to its strong tensile properties, steel is a very practical material, as it can be reused again and again, from one product to the next, while consistently maintaining its inherent qualities. In fact, according to the most recent data compiled by the Steel Recycling Institute (SRI), approximately 80% of steel used today has been previously recycled.

Eco-friendly and Economical Benefits

But durability isn’t the only thing that makes recycling steel so valuable. It’s eco-friendly and cost efficient, too. So much so that it takes 74% less energy to recycle steel than it does to make it from raw materials – enough to power almost a sixth of America’s homes for a year!

It’s also cheaper to reprocess steel than to mine iron ore, or to create new steel, which is an added bonus in today’s budget-conscious society.

How It Works

Typically, when a manufacturing product is no longer considered valuable to its owner, or the metal of a structure meets the end stages of its life, its steel components are picked apart as scraps. The scraps are then melted in high-temperature furnaces, which in turn liquefies the steel and burns off any remaining impurities. Once pure, the liquid metal is molded into new products, such as tools or engines.

Recently, however, some very clever minds have taken the way we use recycled steel to a whole new level.

Subway Cars Turned Underwater Reefs

Along the eastern seaboard, retired New York subway cars have found a new home on the floors of the ocean. And while it may seem that dumping these mammoth vehicles into the sea would be anything but helpful to the ecosystem, the trains that once transported New Yorkers across the Big Apple are transforming into habitats of millions of fish.

The project, which aimed to help the environment, was launched about 10 years ago by New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

After being decommissioned, cleaned and stripped of all removable items, some 25,000 cars were transported by barges and dumped off the coast. Although the campaign is no longer in operation, the cars have since been transformed into artificial reefs.

These unlikely habitats continue to provide plenty of space for invertebrates to live, and act as a hideaway for fish seeking protection from predators. The reef also functions as a source of food, offering more viable conditions than the sand bottom for the growth of various nutrients and organisms.

Old Bridge Gets New Life

While the steel which was once used on land is now being repurposed in water on the East Coast, the reverse is happening on the opposite end of the country.

After 77 years of linking San Francisco to Oakland, California’s Bay Bridge remains to be an icon of the region. Its structure, however, was deemed “earthquake unsafe” after a 1989 quake destroyed part of it. In 2013, its replacement opened to traffic and plans to deconstruct the defective bridge were set.

When scraps of the 58,000-ton steel structure were sold and distributed around the country and abroad after its first of three deconstruction phases, members of the community spoke up, demanding that parts be set aside to be reused in the area.

The Oakland Museum, in coordination with the Bay Area Transportation Authority (BATA), began to accept proposals for how the steel should be refurbished. Thus far, proposals have included everything from bus stops to rainwater catchment systems to sculptures that will retain the visual essence of the original bridge.

In a time when recycling is more important than ever, reprocessed steel is being reincarnated into structures of both function and form. Whether it be through urban sculptures or underwater habitats, recycled steel will continue to transform the way we see, use and better the world.

New York

(From left to right: Tibi, Lacoste and Sally LaPointe
Source: IMAX)

The F/W 2015 collections at New York Fashion Week were all about the return of the ‘70s. Designers brought a softer palette with textual details like fringe and shearling. This fall, glamorous 70s moments are expected to dazzle the fashion streets of New York.

London

(From left to right: Pavane, Timur Kim, Julien Macdonald, Burberry Prorsum and Issa,
Source: Fashionista)

It’s usually difficult to find a key trend that stands out due to the diversity of British designers at London Fashion Week. But this year was different. Continuing from the fringe details showed on New York’s runways, designers this season did not shy away from the same style.

But fashion is not something that exists in fabrics only. Here’s everything you need to know about fashion brought to you by stainless steel.

Surprising Fashion Items That Are Made of Stainless Steel

Watches

(Source: Pebble)

Stainless steel watches sound pretty ordinary since we’ve all seen so many from Casio, Timex, Seiko and more. In 2015, you can now check your email, store your music and download compatible apps with a feather-light device sitting on your wrist. Pebble’s new smartwatch is a stainless steel wearable device with an elegant look and cutting-edge technology. The best part is that the official name of the watch is “Steel.”

Bags

(Source: Wendy Stevens Website)

Using stainless steel as the key material, Wendy Stevens creates whimsical yet classic bags of various sizes and shapes. From a tiny purse to a big tote bag, her steel bags are certainly state-of-art fashion items that suggest a new approach to this edgy material.

Shoes

(Source: Caters News Agency)

There are shoes made of stainless steel, the same metal as your knives and forks. British shoe designer Chris Shellis revealed the “Borgezie Riviera Stiletto,” world’s first everlasting high heels. According to press releases, these shiny heels are surprisingly comfortable because there are silicone linings and removable soles that flex with your feet. If you are looking for a lifetime supply of a single pair, these heels are the perfect investment for your shoe shelf.

What is Stainless Steel?
According to the International Stainless Steel Forum, stainless steel is an alloy of iron and a small amount of carbon. It was invented in the early 20th century when it was found that adding a certain amount of the metal chromium to ordinary steel results in a glossy and rust-resisting property. This “corrosion resistance” aspect is what makes stainless steel unique.

On February 9^th, POSCO CEO Ohjoon Kwon hosted an Investor Relations (IR) meeting in New York, United States. This meeting was the very first international IR conference held overseas ever since his inauguration. “By following POSCO’s 3-year intermediate management plan, we will ensure internal stability,” CEO Kwon said at the POSCO’s international IR conference, held in Four Seasons Hotel in New York. Also, he added, “We will do our best to return all shareholders’ trust and support”.

Upon the completion of the IR meeting, CEO Kwon rang the Closing Bell of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to notify that markets have been closed. The NYSE offered an opportunity for CEO Kwon to ring the NYSE Closing Bell to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of POSCO’s listing.

In October 14^th 1994, POSCO became the first-ever Korean company to list on the NYSE and the second steel company to be listed after UK’s British Steel. As the company successfully fulfilled NYSE’s strict listing requirements such as shareholder distribution, accounting, and management capability at the time, POSCO has established a reputation as a major global company. Upon POSCO’s NYSE listing, other Korean companies started to deviate from domestic stock market and reached out to secure funds from international market; Domestic companies such as Korea Electric Power Corporation, LG, SK and more followed to be listed on the NYSE.

Continuing from its NYSE listing, POSCO was listed on the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on October 27^th, 1995 and on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on November 22^nd, 2005. The company now stands as the one and only Korean company that has been listed on the global top 3 stock markets.

Meanwhile, POSCO announced its 2014 consolidated revenue and operating profit as KRW 65.984 trillion and 3.2135 trillion respectively. Moreover, POSCO has proposed KRW 67.4 trillion in consolidated revenue and 29.3 trillion in independent revenue as performance objectives in 2015.

A historian, an Emmy award-winning British author and a BBC television producer, Deborah Cadbury has written a book called Dreams of Iron and Steel. The book’s main characters are those who ‘overcame the fear for a failure and did not give up on challenging’. Though the book’s time setting is distant from the ‘industrial revolution’, the story does not come across as irrelevant, because the details of each structure’s building process reflect ourselves who are also facing ‘new challenges’ today.

In addition, the subject of ‘steel’ overlaps with the history of POSCO, which started from nothing in the desolate Yeongil Bay in 1968. Both subjects are similar in the way that both had a person with a dream that comes to a reality and the world has changed from it. 

As a BBC television producer, Deborah Cadbury, produced a docudrama series known as ‘Seven Wonders of the Industrial World’ (2003) and started her writing for Dreams of Iron and Steel (2005) at the same time.

The Brooklyn Bridge (1883) 

John Roebling, a U.S immigrant from Germany, won the contract to build the largest bridge that stretches across the East River separating Manhattan and Brooklyn. According to Roebling’s blueprint, it was clear that the structure would develop as a 2km-long masterpiece that possesses both durability and symmetrical delicacy. The foundations were to sink 21m below the water level and the two main 84m-high towers would overlook a panorama of New York City.

However, while seeking for the right spot for the towers, John Roebling was faced with imminent death from a terrible accident. Thus, his son, Washington Roebling continued his father’s legacy as a ‘Man of Steel’ and 14 years of construction finally came to an end in May 24^th, 1883. Transforming the cityscape of New York, the Brooklyn Bridge has become a symbol of Roebling family’s great human spirit.

The Hoover Dam (1936) 

In the late 19^th century, the desert regions of Arizona and Nevada were considered as a hostile environment. Arthur Powell Davis, the Director of U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, realized that even the desert regions can flourish by making some improvements. Accordingly, he planned a project to drill through snow-covered highlands and valleys, and to use the 2,253 km-long Colorado River as a source of hydropower. He also intended to stabilize the river, which experiences severe floods and droughts. Started in 1931 and finished by 1936, the Hoover Dam was soon to break all world records with its height equivalent to 60 stories and a volume bigger than the Great Pyramids at Giza.​

At the height of the Great Depression, poverty-stricken workers had to face explosions, carbon monoxide poisoning and sunstrokes, only to earn a few dollars a day. But the construction had to go on. The chief engineer, Frank Crowe, nevertheless, managed to complete ahead of schedule and under budget with his own know-how in structural management. Remaining as another masterpiece that represents an extraordinary ability of humankind, the dam epitomizes a clear evidence of overcoming a limitation through revolutionary structural improvements.

The ‘Great Eastern’ Ship (1858) 

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/13zlY2w)

The ‘Great Eastern’, also known as the ‘crystal palace of the sea’, is distinctive in many ways other than being the largest ship in the world when it first launched on the River Thames in London. For instance, the design incorporated a double hull on the side and the bottom part of the ship which improved the draft line. However, the scale of the ship was too out of the ordinary for its time. Intriguingly, a distinguished mechanical and civil engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel dreamt of ‘creating a floating city made of iron and transporting 4,000 people to Australia, the opposite side of the earth’. Finishing his blueprints in 1852, Brunel initiated the construction on the River Thames in 1857. Living on the ship for two years, he poured his passion into this project. Unfortunately, in September 1959, just before the Great Eastern’s maiden voyage, Brunel died of a terrible stroke. Despite the failure in commercial use, Brunel’s name remains in the shipbuilding history for his colossal-scale ship and shipbuilding techniques.

The Bell Rock Lighthouse (1811)

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1t5eBfA) 

A creator of the Bell Rock Lighthouse, Robert Stevenson is the grandfather of Robert Louis Stevenson, an author of Treasure Island. The lighthouse was built on a 400m-wide reef 17km out to sea.  Numerous ships went down by crashing into the large reef that was submerged for most of the day. Although everyone believed it to be impossible, the construction of a lighthouse lasted for three years from March 1807 to October 1810. During the process, many workers were sacrificed and the structure collapsed a few times. Battling against the difficulties, Stevenson finally completed the lighthouse in February 1811. To this day, the lighthouse shines out across the North Sea forever.

Bazalgette’s London Sewers (1874)

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1CtGfFM) 

In the 1800’s, over 30,000 people died from three epidemics of cholera in London. In the summer of 1858, while the Great Eastern was preparing for her maiden voyage, the ‘Great Stink’ was sweeping through the city. A 37-year-old civil engineer, Joseph Bazalgette proposed a bold scheme for the problem. It only took him 12 weeks to outline his solution for the problem that lasted for hundreds of years. The key to his proposal was ‘simplicity’.

Previous sewage system and pipes all lead to both sides of the river. Bazalgette’s plan was to simply move various pipes and link the sewers to be connected. The plan seemed easy on the surface but the reality required to link 130km of sewage superhighway and 1,600km of street sewers, creating one large network of underground sewer system. It seemed as an implausible challenge at the time but eventually Bazalgette’s design brought the first modern sewer system. It not only saved the city of London and its inhabitants, but also became a standard model of sewer systems worldwide.

The Panama Canal (1914) 

The first person to plan an excavation of the Panama Canal was Charles V, the emperor of Spain in 1529. However, the actual project was discussed only in 1881 by a Frenchman, Vicomte Ferdinand de Lesseps, who completed building the Suez Canal in 1869. Regardless of his age at 74, Ferdinand de Lesseps had a vision to cut a path across continent through Panama connecting the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean. Although the plan was grandiose, the project execution faced insurmountable difficulties. The workers faced the tropical heat of Panama, impenetrable jungle, devastating mudslides, deathly tropical diseases and other obstacles. The lavish dream had cost lives of many workers and left company to bankrupt in 1889. To top it off, Vicomte Ferdinand de Lesseps also died soon after. The vivid dream eventually came true 25 years under the leadership of civil engineer, Colonel George Washington Goethals.

The Panama Canal is perceived as a miraculous triumph of technology in modern history. Being the longest canal in the history, the 80km-long Panama Canal took 35 years to complete. Moreover, the construction cost approximately 639 million dollars and lives of 25,000 workers. This sacrifice, however, achieved a miracle of shortening a 22,000km-long journey to a 9,500km journey of traveling from New York to San Francisco.

The Transcontinental Railway (1869) 

(Photo from Wikipedia http://bit.ly/1ACtjLw) 

During the American Civil War in 1857, the hero of the Union Army General William T. Sherman said “This will be the work of giants. And, President Lincoln is the only person that I know who can battle through this.” ‘This’ refers to the Transcontinental Railway, reaching across the American continent. Back then, it took about 6 months to travel from New York to California by ship. Under the administration of Abraham Lincoln, the Transcontinental Railway’s construction came to a start in 1860, in the midst of the American Civil War. As a solution to reunite the separated nation, Lincoln decided to initiate the railway construction which was possible due to repeated successes in the steel industry. Two railroad companies, Central Pacific Railroad Company from the west and Union Pacific Railroad Company from the east, started the construction separately from each end of the line. The completed railways were finally opened in 1869. About a decade later, it was possible to make the record of 83 hours and 39 minutes to travel 5,600km across the continent. Consequently, the railways acted as a catalyst for the U.S to develop as a key industrial nation.

As these unique masterpieces suggest, the slow but evolving industrial revolution was accomplished by continuous effort and endless passion of our ancestors. As they were the individuals who struggled to realize their dreams and leave marks on the world, POSCO will inherit their ambitions and continue to pursue further advancements of the overall industry.

(Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line)

Following the first edition of the series, we would like to discuss about urban renewal cases of neglected railroads. One of the best known cases, the High Line of New York has a meaning more than just a simple ‘park’, since it is an urban garden built upon the abandoned railway lines of 1930s. The High Line has become one of the top visitor attractions in New York and an emblem of the historical decline from the industrial heyday. Let’s explore further about the High Line and other example of rebirths of former railroads.

‘The High Line Park’ Started With a Simple Interest of an Ordinary Citizen

(Image: http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Line)

In 1847, life-threatening accidents were frequent in New York City because freight trains, carriages, bicycles and pedestrians kept colliding down on Manhattan’s Far West Side. In order to solve this problem, the City of New York and Metropolitan Transportation Authority planned to construct an elevated railway in 1929. Finally, it was launched in 1934 and enabled cargo to be delivered directly from the railroad to factories and warehouses.

However, the railroad transportation drastically declined as highway construction and cargo truck started to advance in the 1950s. The overhead railway vanished into the history after the last train squealed its way in 1980. It has been discarded for 20 years until Rudolph Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, agreed to dismantle the overhead railway in 1999.

On the threshold of the demolition, two civic activists formed a non-profit organization called, ‘Friends of the High Line’. They saw the potential that this useless, old heritage can be redeveloped into a unique overpass. The ‘Friends of the High Line’ consisted not only the regional residents but also various other people such as entrepreneurs and fashion designers. Furthermore, the organization proceeded their project by benchmarking Promenade Plantée of France.

Keep it simple, keep it wild, keep it quiet, and keep it slow!
This redesigning project was a collaboration of James Corner of Field Operations, a landscaping firm, Diller Scofidio+Renfro, an architecture studio, and a plant designer named Piet Oudolf. The main design concept of the High Line was to ‘keep it simple, keep it wild, keep it quiet, and keep it slow’. This design principle intended to maintain the traces of the overpass area including the wildflowers and vines grown out during the abandoned periods. The High Line embodies an extraordinary meaning since it is a creation of innovative designers, active citizens, generous men of means, and supportive corporates.

As shown by the cases above, it is quite difficult to preserve a trace of a certain city. It requires the government’s support while having complicated relations with the profit of property owners. Above all, it requires proactive and voluntary efforts of its citizens. As a city harmonizes over time, it asks for continuous efforts and patience of many people living within the city.

Promenade Plantée, the Archetype of a Renovated Urban Garden

(Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promenade_plant%C3%A9e)

The original model of reusing old transportation corridors is the Promenade Plantée in Paris, France. For cargo transportation, Paris had opened up a bridge-type railroad that penetrates the center of Eastern Paris in 1859. However, this railroad was deactivated in 1969 and deteriorated into a crime-prone area.

In the early 1980s, Paris decided to transform this railway, the city’s headache, into the ‘Promenade Plantée’, meaning ‘a walking trail’, by planting green lives around the area. Unlike the citizen-driven project of the High Line, the Promenade Plantée project was organized by the city authorities of Paris. And, the design of the site was developed by a landscaper, Jacques Vergely and an architect, Philippe Mathieux while architects named Patrick Berger and Jamine Galiano designed the pedestrian overpass shopping district.

The abandoned railroad built 10m from the ground level transformed into a floating esplanade, penetrating the city. Especially, the rusty area that was about to be demolished was reborn into the pedestrian overpass shopping district. And, the 70 redbrick-arches under the railroad redeveloped into ‘Viaduc des Arts‘, an art district of handcraft workshops, galleries, furniture exhibition halls, and cafés. Though the pedestrian overpass shopping district was completed only in 2000, it became one of the most popular spots among Parisians along with the Promenade Plantée.

Recreating the City While Maintaining its Previous Identity
A city tends to flow along with the lives of the citizens. As it shown by the case of Paris, the marks that embody the original identity of the city must be preserved as much as possible. The marks could be stunning and valuable or not at all. Nevertheless, it is significant because these traces of the city could contribute as an important historical asset for the future generation, as the traces have evolved a long period together with the citizens. Accordingly, cities develop their unique identities and this cannot simply happen only with a concept for city development but must stem from a sincere echo within our lives.

A city is a place where happy moments are accumulated, but it also encompasses the memories that people would like to forget. Thus, a city cannot simply disappear by eliminating the previous objects and replacing them with the new ones, because every moment has traces of our lives and becomes the history that brought us to today. In fact, when people recall the past and add value to it, the city can bring out its genuine beauty as a place where people strive to continue their lives with each other.

*This story was originally developed by Kim, Mi-na – Participated in Hanoi master plan, Ho Chi Minh Thu Thiem Binh Khanh master plan, and other international urban development projects especially in Da Nang, Tay Ninh, Binh Phuoc and more. Currently, she is executing planning and marketing for global business projects at POSCO A&C. She is interested in the topics related to public-nature of cities and urban renewal.

What is AEO?

Let me explain about AEO for those who are not quite familiar with it. Since the September 11 tragedy in New York, the World Customs Organization introduced a series of criteria for health and safety measures for shippers, customs brokers, carriers, warehouses, ship operators, aviation distributors and unlading traders. If one satisfies the set of standards, AEO certificate is granted as a sign of the company’s high level of liability. In Japan, a total of 455 companies have been granted with the certificate since 2006 and only 84 of them are qualified as the importers with special customs certificate.

Meaning of the privileged customs certificate

The accreditation of AEO for POSCO Japan meant a lot to us because our corporate has become the only holder of the special customs certificate except POSCO’s Korea headquarters within POSCO’s global network. It took POSCO Japan only a year and three months for document screenings and an on-site due-diligence required for AEO. I heard it would normally take much longer, three years for some cases, to be granted with the privilege as it asks for strict scrutiny tests. Now, you would know how proud we were of ourselves here in POSCO Japan.

I am pretty much sure that it will boost our clients’ satisfaction towards POSCO Japan’s services. With this new privilege, POSCO Japan can now import steel products from Korea with import declaration and approval before the cargos arrive, which would accelerate the processes of order, delivery and lead time. Also, we will be able to respond much faster if our client demands re-importation of certain products with the AEO special customs certificate.

I am delighted to deliver POSCO Japan’s latest triumph as my first POSCO Storyteller commitment. It will strengthen our quality of service and build a much closer relationship with POSCO headquarters in Korea. I look forward posting more pleasant news from Japan in near future.