KR celebrated its 62nd anniversary on 17 June at its headquarters in a ceremony attended by KR executives, employees and distinguished guests, including Mr. DO Dukhee, President of Korea Maritime and Maritime University, and Mr. HAN Wonhee, President of Mokpo Maritime University.

In his commemorating speech, LEE Hyungcheol, KR Chairman & CEO, said, “Thanks to the support of governments and our valued customers in the maritime industry from around the world, we have been able to grow into the world’s seventh-largest international classification society during our 62-year history. We will continue to fulfill our role as a leading classification society and strive for improved digitalization and green transition in shipping.”

During the ceremony, a promotional video was screened to reflect on the meaning of KR’s 62 years of history, which included congratulatory messages from customers, government officials and international organizations around the world to convey their gratitude to the KR’s executives and employees for their dedication and services. Following the screening, KR awarded commendations to Sambu Shipping, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Daehan Shipbuilding, Hyundai Mipo Dockyard and Maritime Cluster Networking in Korea for their role in KR’s continued success story.

Meanwhile, KR is expanding the budget for active ESG management. In particular, the classification society is helping to nurture maritime technical personnel and improve the local educational environment. During the ceremony, scholarships were awarded to Korea Maritime University, Mokpo Maritime University, and Busan Hansol Special School, respectively, while scholarships were awarded to seven universities and 15 schools in Korea afterwards.

KR was founded in 1960 by the late Dr. HUH Dongsik and two surveyors to secure sovereignty in ship survey technology and ensure the safety of Korean ships. KR joined the International Classification Society (IACS) in 1988, one of only 11 classification societies in the world, and is now Korea's only international classification society, ranked seventh in the world. Currently, we have more than 60 branch offices around the world, providing statutory and certification services in 81 countries.