POSCO Chairman Mandates Rapid Execution of Triple Core Strategy

POSCO Group Chairman Chang In-hwa has instructed the company’s leadership to prioritize rapid execution as the primary mechanism for navigating the current geopolitical and technological transition. Speaking at the 2026 POSCO Forum, he framed the group’s survival as dependent on how quickly it can adapt its core operations to a changing competitive landscape. The directive centers on the 'Triple Core' strategy, which mandates a structural expansion beyond traditional steel into strategic and energy resources.

The forum, held at the Global R&D Center in Songdo, served as the venue for defining the execution agenda for this new growth phase. Chang emphasized that in an era of shifting alliances and technological paradigms, the ability to identify the direction of change and implement adaptations swiftly is the decisive factor. He urged executives to move beyond theoretical planning toward bold, decisive actions that secure new growth paths, specifically targeting the expansion of the group's resource-centric business model.

Triple Core Strategy Defines Growth Path

The 'Triple Core' framework structures POSCO’s future into three distinct pillars: industrial resources, strategic resources, and energy resources. Industrial resources continue to be anchored by the steel business, which remains the foundational revenue driver. Strategic resources encompass critical minerals such as lithium, anode and cathode materials, and rare earth elements, positioning the company to capture value in the electric vehicle and battery supply chains.

The third pillar focuses on energy resources, specifically LNG and renewable energy, which the chairman has designated as the 'Third Core' or 'Next Core.' This expansion aims to diversify the group’s earnings profile away from cyclically heavy steel markets. By integrating these three areas, POSCO intends to create a buffer against global protectionism and oversupply pressures, ensuring that each business unit contributes to a more stable and resilient corporate value proposition.

Targeted Expansion in Critical Minerals

Chang outlined specific operational priorities for each business segment, rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach in favor of differentiated growth logic. For the steel division, the focus is on a localization strategy to maintain market share in key regions despite trade barriers. In the strategic resources sector, the company is directing capital and effort toward preemptively securing key markets for lithium and rare earths, recognizing the critical nature of these inputs for future industrial applications.

The energy business is tasked with playing a buffering role, providing stability to the group’s overall financial performance. This approach reflects a broader industry trend where diversified conglomerates are leveraging their scale to enter adjacent high-growth sectors. By securing a technological edge through disruptive innovation in AI and robotics, POSCO aims to bridge the gap between its traditional manufacturing base and its emerging resource-focused operations.

Forum Sets Mid-Term Execution Agenda

The two-day forum included insights from external experts, with Dominic Barton of Rio Tinto delivering a keynote on the impact of geopolitical changes on corporate value. Barton’s analysis highlighted how portfolio restructuring and focused investments can drive growth in a fragmented global environment. POSCO used these external perspectives to validate its internal strategy and to refine its mid-term execution agendas.

Participants also examined the potential of autonomous manufacturing technologies driven by physical AI, viewing this as a key lever for enhancing future value. The group plans to use the outcomes of this gathering to solidify its strategic direction, ensuring that the transition to the Triple Core model is executed with the speed and precision required to maintain a competitive advantage. The emphasis remains on translating strategic intent into tangible operational results.