Korea Zinc Leadership Academy Holds Completion Ceremony for Its First Cohort…

Marks the First Milestone in Fostering Future Leaders

The completion ceremony for the first cohort of the Korea Zinc Leadership Academy, including participants from Korea Zinc and its affiliates, was held on Thursday, October 30, at Cuckoo Hall on the 6th floor of the LG-POSCO Building. The academy is a leadership development program jointly designed by Korea University Business School and Korea Zinc to nurture future leaders, and a total of 29 participants successfully completed the six-month course. 

Attending the ceremony were Eonsoo Kim, Dean of the Business School; Associate Dean Gangseog Ryu; Professors Seokkyun Kim, Ji-Woong Chung, Gunwoong Lee, and Young-Kyu Kim; as well as In-Dae Kwon, Head of the HR Management Division at Korea Zinc, along with other officials and participants who gathered to celebrate the completion. 

The first cohort of Leadership Academy graduates opened the ceremony by presenting a report on the four training modules they completed over the past six months, followed by a video summarizing their activities. Through the program, participants deepened their understanding of Korea Zinc’s future vision and business structure, while strengthening their managerial insight and leadership competencies. In particular, they acquired practical management skills that can be applied immediately in the workplace through courses such as Korea Zinc’s mission, core values and business model analysis, leadership simulations and action learning, as well as organizational decision-making and change management.

Dean Eonsoo Kim was the first to congratulate the graduates for their dedication and accomplishments despite their busy schedules. He stated, “This academy is a development program designed to realize Korea Zinc’s people-centered management philosophy. I hope that completing all components of the program, including the action learning module, will be of great help to your future work. I also encourage you to continue to Keep Reading and Keep Learning.” 

Next, Myung-Seon Kim, Manager of the Convergence Innovation Team at Korea Zinc, delivered a representative address on behalf of the 29 graduates. Manager Kim said, “I would like to express my gratitude to the esteemed professors, university staff, and Korea Zinc’s HR Management Division for providing us with this valuable learning opportunity.” She continued, “By gaining an understanding of fundamental management principles and studying ESG and leadership, I now feel a stronger sense of responsibility to reflect on the company’s future.” 

The ceremony continued with the presentation of completion certificates and commemorative gifts, followed by an awards segment recognizing outstanding participants. Ji-Min Bang, Senior Manager, received the Encouragement Award; Ji-Ho Kim, Senior Manager, received the Excellence Award; and Chang-Hyun Lee, Manager, received the Top Award, with each honoree presented with a small prize. 
In his congratulatory remarks, Head In-Dae Kwon noted, “It is not easy to develop your own leadership style and deliver results within such a short period,” adding, “I hope you will become the seeds of positive change within our company.” 

After the ceremony, a farewell dinner was held. During the dinner, professors, graduates, and guests enjoyed a networking opportunity, sharing the relationships and experiences they had built throughout the program. The event concluded in a warm and collegial atmosphere as participants exchanged advice and words of encouragement. 

This Leadership Academy carries significant meaning in that it presents a model of industry–academia partnership for nurturing future leaders through the collaboration between Korea University Business School and Korea Zinc. Through a curriculum that bridges theory and practice, participants strengthened the insight, sense of responsibility, and foundation for innovative leadership required in a rapidly changing era. This completion is expected to lay the groundwork for continued leadership development and talent cultivation in the years ahead.