South Korean steelmaker POSCO’s No. 1 blast furnace, has shut down after 48 years of service.
To commemorate the furnace’s important role in South Korea’s economic development and steel history, POSCO held a closing ceremony in the steelmaker’s integrated steel mill in Pohang, 370 kilometers south of Seoul.
The furnace started pouring molten metal on Jun. 9, 1973.
It allowed South Korea to produce steel for itself.
Over the past 48 years, the blast furnace has produced 55.2 million tons of crude steel.
Considering the historical value and significance of the furnace, POSCO will renovate the furnace into the Pohang No. 1 Blast Furnace Museum and open it to the public.