Words on the years spent with Chungam, and on the man himself.
26 recollections of TJ Park left by political leaders, business leaders, scholars and journalists in Korea and abroad. Each is shown with the speaker and the title held at the time.
To serve Korea again and again―that was Park Tae-joon’s most urgent imperative.
François MitterrandFormer French President
Park Tae-joon thought not just about the steel industry but about the entire country and the age of Northeast Asia or the Pacific Rim. Above all, he was a man of integrity.
Fukuda TakeoFormer Japanese Prime Minister
In August 1978 Deng Xiaoping visited Nippon Steel in Japan and asked its chairman, Inayama Yoshihiro, to build China a steelworks like Pohang Iron and Steel. Inayama politely declined: “Steelworks are built by people. Without a man like Park Tae-joon, a steelworks like Pohang Iron and Steel cannot be built.” Deng is then said to have answered as follows.
We can import TJ Park!
Deng XiaopingChinese President
Park Tae-joon is a living textbook for future executives.
Lee Byung-chullFounder of Samsung Group
I was deeply moved by Park Tae-joon’s ardent patriotism and passionate sense of mission towards his work as a businessman. I came to believe that Korean economic development is guaranteed as far as Korea has a businessman like him.
Shin Kyuk-HoFounder of Lotte Group
TJ Park can tell private from public. He is always prudent. Once he makes up his mind he pushes for it no matter what happens. Nevertheless, he always cares about the wellbeing of his workers. What I feel as his friend is that there is not enough praise or word to describe him properly.
Lee Maeng-giNavy Admiral
Park Tae-joon was a true Korean patriot. His character, which combined level-headed judgment, firm belief, a sense of justice, and thoughtfulness, led to the success of Japan’s collaboration with Korea.
Nakasone YasuhiroFormer Japanese Prime Minister
Here at Pohang Iron and Steel I have seen the ideal that our comrade Lenin dreamed of and pursued. This is exactly the dream we set out to achieve.
Viktor SadovnichyRector of Moscow State University
Surprisingly, Park Tae-joon was deeply interested in youth. In particular, he was very concerned about the dissatisfaction the young feel about the conglomerates’ monopoly of wealth, which is very common in developing countries.
Lenhard HolschuhFormer Secretary General of International Iron and Steel Institute
POSCO offers probably the best benefit packages to its employees in Korea. I could feel the genuine admiration his employees have for him.
David M. RoderickFormer Chairman and CEO of the US Steel Corporation
Park Tae-joon is a great man. No European devoted his life to the economy of his country as sincerely as Park did.
Hugo M. SekyraFormer CEO and Chairman of Austrian Industries
Park Tae-joon is a man who tells you to take the last one percent seriously. Just as the beginning of any undertaking matters, he means, the final one percent must be done well if the work is not to be spoiled. To bring the point home he puts it this way: ‘Only the one who laughs last is the true victor.’ No one who has not carried out something great would dare say such a thing.
Yoo Chan-wooChairman of Poongsan Metal
Park Tae-joon is a man of great ability who had foresight and vision which he knew how to turn into reality.
Eliezer BaristaRenowned Brazilian Businessman
Park Tae-joon, the most reliable partner, works only for the modernization of his country.
Helmut HaschekFormer Chairman of the Board, Austrian National Bank
I could sense that Park Tae-joon was a professional manager and leader who was devoted to his clear mission. I have the greatest respect for him.
Brian T. LotonFormer Chairman of BHP Group in Australia
The basis of his leadership was his integrity.
Hwang Kyung-roFormer Chairman of POSCO
The deceased (Park Tae-joon) is the giant of our times, who laid the groundwork for our country’s economy.
Park Geun-hyeChair of the Emergency Committee, Saenuri Party
The deceased (Park Tae-joon) is someone I admire above all others, including Japanese. I have never met anyone else as upright.
Suzuki NorioFormer Executive of Nippon Steel Corporation
Mr. Chairman was quick to find out what we executives failed to no matter how hard we tried. It means that he worried and worked much harder than we did.
Park Deuk-pyoPOSCO CEO
You (Park Tae-joon) instilled the spirit of ‘patriotism by steel manufacturing’ and ‘public affairs before personal interests’ in your juniors.
Chung Joon-yangChairman of POSCO
As we cannot erase the ordeals of the colonial period from the history of our nation, so we cannot erase the period of economic development. Park Tae-joon is the character who shines most brightly and greatly in that rewarding history of economic development.
Jo Jung-raeNovelist
The deceased (Park Tae-joon) has an image of steel, but a warm heart and generous hands.
Park Won-soonMayor of Seoul
Park Tae-joon’s achievements for the industry and society of our country are many times greater than Steve Jobs’ influence on the IT industry.
Lee Jae-yongCEO of Samsung Electronics
I was doing research at school one morning in early 1998 when I happened to run into Chairman Park who was looking around the school (POSTECH). I will never forget how he warmly encouraged me to workhard for our country.
Ahn Jong-hyunRecipient of the “2011 Young Scientist Award” and Professor at the School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University
For the five days from when Park Tae-joon passed away to his funeral, about 87,000 people, including ordinary citizens as well as leaders of various fields, visited seven memorial altars all over the country including Seoul, Pohang, and Gwangyang. Our society is so divided and contentious that some people self-deprecatingly joke, ‘Even King Sejong would give up and leave if he visited our country now.’ Except in the case of Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan, Buddhist priest Songchul, and Pastor Han Kyung-chik, our people rarely have shown this level of passionate nationwide respect and love for the deceased.
Kwon Soon-hwalJournalist, The Dong-a Ilbo, 5 January 2012
I met TJ Park in 1992 and talked with him. We discussed the nation's future strategies. He suggested that I establish 'the institute of the national future strategy' as I was interested in the country's future strategy. He proposed to provide 4 billion won saying that POSCO would play a central role in cooperation with Hyundai and SK. He also suggested that I go to Japan to study how fervently patriots opened up an era of Meiji and built a new nation and to travel around Japan's historical places related to it. But the civilian government took office in 1993 and he left POSCO for Japan to stay for a long time, so the institute plan failed to materialize. The 4 billion won at that time could now be 30 or 40 billion won in reflection of today's prices. Chairman Park emphasized a long-term vision and the future strategy.
Lee Gak-bomProfessor of Sociology at Seoul National University. He served as senior presidential secretary for policy and planning during the Kim Young-sam government.
※ This page follows the order of the Korean edition.