MRC Inaugurated to Maintain
Sustainable Mine Development

Ex-KFS administrator takes the helm as the first president of the new corporation

Mine Reclamation Corp. has been inaugurated to take charge of sustainable mine development with Choi Jong-soo, former administrator of Korea Forest Service, taking the helm.
A signboard-hanging ceremony was held at the Korea Coal Association building in Jongno-gu, downtown Seoul on June 8 with Lee Won-gul, vice minister for energy at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Rep. Lee Kwang-jae, Ahn Jong-beom, chairman of the Korea Coal Association, and Kim Sang-bong, chairman of Korean Mine Business Association, participating.
MRC was established in accordance with legislation of an act governing the prevention and restoration of damages caused by mines in a bid to integrate the jobs related to the prevention of damages from mines that had been spread to several government agencies and implement relevant projects in a systematic and efficient manner, said Kim Jung-hwan, chief of the Coal Industry Department at MOCIE.
MRC, a 176-member corporation, is composed of three headquarters, a technology research center and five regional headquarters. The corporation has taken over the jobs carried out by Coal Industry Promotion Board. It is responsible for overseeing the jobs related to the prevention of damages caused by mines arising from the early stage of developing mines till the closing of mines.
Specifically, MRC assumes such responsibilities as the installment and operation of equipment designed to prevent damages caused by mines, R&D and training on mine damages and international collaboration projects on mine damages.
Kwon Hyon-ho, an official at the Coal Industry Department, said the establishment of MRC is designed to take consistent and precautionary steps against mine damages by systematically scrutinizing the causes of mine damages and handling them.
MRC, manned with expertise manpower, is expected to serve as a responsible, specialized institution designed not only to prevent substandard construction, but only to promote the development of the technology aimed at preventing mine damage.
Projects designed to prevent mine damage are being undertaken under national aspects and continuous management of closed mines will make sure improved environmental conditions of mining areas, health of residents and pleasant settlement buildup.
MRC will strive to help the mining industry maintain a sustainable development in order to ensure a stable supply of coal, one of Korea's industrial raw materials, by wiping out its disgraced recognition of the "qulprit of environmental pollution."A graduate of Seoul National University Environment Graduate School, MRC President Choi started his government career from the Korea Forest Service after passing the 11th higher administrative examination. He climbed up the officialdom hierarchy to become KFS administrator. nw

Choi Jong-soo, president of Mine Reclamation Corp.

Dignitaries, including Lee Won-gul, vice minister for energy at the MOCIE, cut the tape to inaugurate Mine Reclamation Corp. in Seoul on June 8.