POSCO to Gradually Directly Hire 7,000 Partner Company Employees

Direct Employment of 7,000 Production Workers

Separate Job Category and Wage System to Be Established

POSCO is taking decisive action to address the chronic subcontracting structure at industrial sites by moving forward with a large-scale direct employment initiative. This measure is intended to simultaneously address ongoing litigation risks and safety issues, and has been decided after resolving internal debates over fairness.

POSCO flag hanging at POSCO Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. POSCO

According to POSCO on April 8, the company has announced a roadmap to directly hire employees of partner companies who support operations at the Pohang and Gwangyang steelworks production sites. This is aimed at fundamentally resolving the core issues of the subcontracting structure in industrial workplaces.

As a result, approximately 7,000 employees from about 80 to 100 partner companies are expected to be sequentially transferred to become POSCO employees. POSCO plans to proceed with a recruitment process for field workers who wish to join the company.

This round of direct employment will primarily focus on support personnel directly involved in the production process. In contrast, certain indirect workforces, such as those involved in cleaning or commuter vehicle operations, are reported to be excluded from this initiative.

The employees being transferred will be classified in a separate job category, and a new wage system will be designed for them. POSCO also plans to provide training programs to enhance job competencies and support adaptation to the company’s organizational culture.

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