Kim Seung-hyun (left), vice president of Korea Zinc, and Park Jong-rae, president of UNIST, hold a certificate marking their partnership in Ulsan on Monday. (Korea Zinc)
Kim Seung-hyun (left), vice president of Korea Zinc, and Park Jong-rae, president of UNIST, hold a certificate marking their partnership in Ulsan on Monday. (Korea Zinc)

Korea’s leading nonferrous smelter, Korea Zinc, announced Tuesday that it has partnered with a local technology institute in Ulsan to expand the use of artificial intelligence in its smelter operations.

Under the agreement with Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, the two parties will launch a four-month AI training program for Korea Zinc employees starting in September. The company will also provide advice to the university in nurturing AI talent with practical skills in industrial manufacturing.

The partnership will extend to broader areas, including joint research in smart manufacturing, which could potentially lead to new business opportunities for the company, Korea Zinc said.

Korea Zinc has been actively adopting AI and robotics to improve safety in its high-risk smelting processes.

The company was the first among global nonferrous smelters to deploy Boston Dynamics’ four-legged robot, Spot, to inspect safety hazards at its Ulsan smelter. Earlier in August, it also established a dedicated team to oversee its AI strategy.

“To succeed in building a smart smelter, it is essential to strengthen our staff’s understanding of AI and their ability to apply it in practice,” a Korea Zinc official said. “We will continue to upgrade our data-driven business capabilities and foster a technology-centered corporate culture.”


forestjs@heraldcorp.com