The International ESG Association, led by Profs. Yong Sik Ok and Jay Hyuk Rhee, is developing carbon-negative technology for sustainable ESG value in POSCO International’s palm business
SEOUL, South Korea, July 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The IESGA under the leadership of Prof. Yong Sik Ok and Prof. Jay Hyuk Rhee, is advancing ESG-driven research that connects scientific agricultural solutions with corporate sustainability strategies. As POSCO International recently partnered with IESGA for joint research on “Soil as an Asset” and sustainable agriculture, researchers are applying a biochar-based carbon-reduction technology for palm plantations to achieve sustainability goals.
As industries accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, soil is gaining attention as more than a natural resource. When managed scientifically, it can act as a long-term carbon reservoir and support practical climate action. Building on this opportunity, Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) International and the International ESG Association (IESGA) have signed a memorandum of understanding on June 23, 2026, at the POSCO Center in Seoul to develop research into “Soil as an Asset” and evaluate the carbon-reduction potential of biochar in large-scale palm plantations.
The ceremony was attended by President and CEO Kye-In Lee of POSCO International, and other senior executives, along with Professor Yong Sik Ok, President of the IESGA, and Director of Korea Biochar Research Center, Korea University, together with Professor Jay Hyuk Rhee, President of the IESGA, and President of Korea University ESG Institute.
The joint research will focus on palm plantations operated by an Indonesian palm company, PT.PAR (Prime Agri Resources). The project aims to build a “Carbon Mapping” system that quantifies carbon storage capacity and greenhouse-gas emission characteristics according to soil properties. Researchers will evaluate the use of a carbon-rich material, biochar.
Biochar has recently been recognized for its ability to store carbon in soil over the long term. The two partnered organizations will conduct soil analyses to build carbon maps, identify optimal areas for biochar application, and advance the demonstration project. They will assess carbon-reduction effects, expand the scope of application, and examine possibilities for connecting the work to carbon-credit business.
This project marks a large-scale field demonstration of biochar-based carbon reduction technology in a Korean palm plantation. While the Group is developing low-carbon steelmaking technologies, POSCO International is supporting carbon-reduction goals through renewable-energy expansion and biomass-utilization projects.
The project will be led by IESGA under the joint leadership of Prof. Ok and Prof. Rhee, whose complementary expertise bridges environmental science, biochar-based carbon sequestration, ESG, and sustainable business. Prof. Ok mentions, “The essence of future ESG management lies in creating nature-based value. Soil is one of the largest carbon reservoirs, and depending on management, it can become either a source of emissions or a carbon sink. This project is a significant demonstration study that scientifically measures and manages soil carbon and, by harnessing biochar, transforms soil into an asset.“
Prof. Rhee also highlights, “This collaboration serves as a benchmark case where research on soil carbon and biochar is validated on a commercial scale and successfully translated into actionable industrial solutions. We are fully committed to ensuring that this initiative takes root as a resilient global business mechanism for driving tangible climate action.”
Mr. Oh Ji-Heon, Board Director and Attorney at ONE Law Partners, concludes, “This collaboration shows the transformation of ESG into a practical solution, integrating legal and business frameworks to deliver measurable climate value.”
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Prof. Yong Sik Ok
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SOURCE International ESG Association