From the first tapping of No. 1 blast furnace and the completion of the Pohang Works to the choice of Gwangyang Bay for the second steelworks — the years that set the frame of Korean steel.
- 1971age 44
Establishes the Steel Scholarship Foundation.
- 1973age 46
First tapping from No. 1 blast furnace on 9 June; the Pohang Works is completed on 3 July. Korea’s first integrated steelworks begins operating, at 1.03 million tonnes of crude steel a year.
Cheering the first tapping with his workers (centre) - 1975age 48
Founds the Korea Iron & Steel Association and becomes its first chairman.
- 1978age 51
POSCO is chosen over Hyundai as the operator of the second integrated steelworks. Named Person of the Year by the Dong-A Ilbo.
Explaining No. 3 blast furnace, then under construction, to the writer Sunwoo Hwi (centre), 1978 - 1980age 53
Chairman of the First Economic Committee of the Legislative Council for National Security; elected Korean chairman of the Korea–Japan Parliamentarians’ Union. Gwangyang Bay is fixed as the site of the second steelworks.
※ For every period in one table, see the full chronology.