Kim Young-mi, 43, a working mom who lives in Daechi-dong, Seoul, has a monthly routine of applying for free concert tickets given away by POSCO.

“The monthly music concert, held at POSCO Center on the third Saturday of each month, has become the location for regular family outings,” Kim said.

POSCO Center is the steelmaker’s Seoul headquarters located in the heart of southern Seoul’s Teheran Valley ― an area dubbed the Silicon Valley of Korea.

The steelmaker said it first began the free concerts in December 1999, in an effort to build its relationship with the community through arts and culture. To offer the concerts free of charge, the company uses the POSCO Center’s lobby as the stage for performances.

For about 900 local citizens every month, the lobby transforms into a classical concert hall and, at times, even a stage for performance by K-pop stars.

“Our family members love the variety and the quality of these concerts. My daughter still mentions the Psy performance that took place at POSCO Center two years ago,” Kim said. 

In addition to the regular free concerts, POSCO Center also offers visitors a chance to experience an array of cultural activities. This is because unlike other office buildings, POSCO offers visitors free access to the first floor, where it runs a steel gallery.

The company says it wants to show the citizens and the community that POSCO is always open to them.

“As a former state-run company, the steelmaker has always sought to grow closer to the local community and our consumers, which is why we have sought ways to better communicate with the people and give back to society,” said a company official.

And because the company does not produce consumer products, POSCO decided that it would turn to arts and culture to build a friendlier public image.

Over the past 15 years, POSCO has hosted 156 free concerts at its Seoul headquarters. More than 140,000 people have attended these concerts, the company said.

POSCO’s social contributions through arts and culture were recognized by the Korea Mecenat Association in 2005.

The association supports artistic, cultural and sports activities offered by companies for the benefit of the public.

Reflecting the growing demand for companies to play a bigger role in social contribution, the steelmaker is working to create a healthier corporate environment nationwide for both workers and companies.

By Seo Jee-yeon (jyseo@heraldcorp.com)