The Korea Herald

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SK Innovation chief shifts focus to global battery biz

By Yeo Jun-suk

Published : Jan. 7, 2019 - 17:19

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The chief of South Korea’s leading energy firm SK Innovation Kim Jun is currently visiting the US as part of the company’s shift in focus from the traditional refinery business to the battery and material sectors, the company said Monday.

SK Innovation President and CEO Kim first landed in Georgia, where he inspected a site for a battery factory. Last year, the company announced it would be building the battery plant with some $1 billion, which will be the largest production plant solely used for batteries in the US.

SK Innovation chief Kim Jun. SK Innovation SK Innovation chief Kim Jun. SK Innovation

Kim looked around the site in Commerce City on Jan. 3 and explained the company’s employment plans to the city’s Mayor Clark Hill, seeking close cooperation. The following day, the CEO attended the signing of a memorandum of understanding regarding the battery plant with the state of Georgia, presenting before the local press the firm’s various investment plans for the region.

Kim has now moved on to Las Vegas to attend the Consumer Electronics Show 2019 being held this week, to oversee SK Innovation’s presentation of its electric vehicle battery and advanced materials technologies to the global market, the firm said.

“In terms of the battery business, we will improve our technology and competitiveness in price, while maintaining our global top-tier status by expanding sales,” Kim said during his New Year’s address Wednesday. 

(jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)