Posco, North Gyeongsang strike deal for restoration after Typhoon Hinnamnor

Posco Vice Chairman Kim Hag-dong, right, and Kim Hak-hong, vice governor of North Gyeongsang, take a photo after signing an agreement Monday. [POSCO]

Posco joined hands with the North Gyeongsang provincial office to speed up the restoration of the region hit by Typhoon Hinnamnor in September.

The two signed an agreement Monday promising full cooperation on reconstructing damaged buildings and building new infrastructure to prevent such incidents from reoccurring.

Under the agreement, Posco will preferentially supply the region with steel as needed at the construction sites. The North Gyeongsang provincial office is planning to start construction of damaged roads and streams in the cities of Pohang and Gyeongju in April.

Posco's steel research unit will also share technical infrastructure solutions to help prepare for natural disasters.

Posco and North Gyeongsang plan to form a committee within the next month to proceed with the work.

"Despite the historical typhoon flooding the Pohang steel mill, we were able to fully restore it within just 135 days with the help and devotion of the region's community," said Kim Hag-dong, vice chairman of Posco.

"With the latest cooperation with North Gyeongsang, Posco will repay the obligation by helping the region prevent such an incident from occurring in future natural disasters."

Posco's Pohang plant was shut down on Sept. 7 after it was flooded as a nearby river overflowed due to Typhoon Hinnamnor. It was the first time for Korea’s largest — and the world’s fifth-largest — steelmaker to halt its operating line in 49 years.

The plant completely resumed operations on Jan. 20, 135 days since it was hit, with the help of some 1.4 million people from Posco and the region.

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