Posco Pohang plant up and running after 135-day shutdown

Posco's Pohang plant will be completely operational Friday, 135 days since it was hit by Typhoon Hinnamnor.

A Posco employee produces stainless steel at the No. 1 cold-rolling facility at Pohang plant in North Gyeongsang, on Jan. 19. [POSCO]

Posco's Pohang plant will be completely operational Friday, 135 days since it was hit by Typhoon Hinnamnor.

All 17 rolling facilities will be fully restored, including three blast furnaces.

The plant in North Gyeongsang was shut down on Sept. 7 after it as flooded as a nearby river overflowed due to heavy rainfall. It was the first time for Korea’s largest — and the world’s fifth largest — steelmaker to halt an operating line in 49 years.

Operations of three blast furnaces resumed in the week after the incident, but restoring rolling facilities took longer time due to the massive and heavy equipment.

"Of 15 motor drives at the No. 2 hot-rolling facility, 11 had to be replaced," Posco said in Thursday's statement. "Experts initially said this would take more than one year for full restoration."

"We could advance the schedule as so many people took active part in restoring plant, not even Posco employees but workers from partner companies."

A total of 1.4 million people offered help, the steelmaker said. The fire authority and local governments supported by sending restoration tools, such as fire pumps and sprinkler trucks.

Japan's Nippon Steel and Hyundai Steel also offered some components and materials when they were urgently needed at the Pohang plant.

"All our employees are our proud heroes. They achieved the normalization without anyone hurting or getting injured," said Posco Holdings Chairman Choi Jeong-woo during his visit to the plant on Jan. 10.

"We deeply appreciate all, the central and local governments, and citizens, who showed us the support and encouragement," Choi added.

Choi also added he will review the company's response system for emergency situations like natural disasters.

BY SARAH CHEA [chea.sarah@joongang.co.kr]