Aju Business Daily

SEOUL -- POSCO, a top steel company in South Korea, joined hands with two domestic companies to participate in South Korea's green city project with an innovative street facility that consists of water-permeable blocks capable of storing rainwater and supplying moisture to roadside trees.

POSCO said it signed a business agreement with KT, a major telecom company in South Korea, and Mystech, which produces specialized products for roadside facilities, for the joint marketing of facilities that consist of water supply blocks installed with IoT sensors to monitor the conditions of roadside trees and soil in real-time as well as guards to prevent the uplift of roots.

The steel company said that smart facilities can store rainwater and supply moisture to street trees in a timely manner, prevent trees from dying due to heatwaves, and increase their life cycle. Complex pipes as well as power and communication lines can be systematically buried underground.

KT will establish an IT infrastructure platform that utilizes IoT sensors. POSCO will supply special steel materials that are resistant to corrosion. Mystech is responsible for water supply guards and blocks that are eco-friendly because rainwater is permeated to the ground and can be dismantled and reassembled.

Near street tree guards, sidewalk blocks which were made by POSCO's in-house venture will be installed as a package. "We thank POSCO and KT for showing their interest in the idea of small and medium-sized companies," said Mystech CEO Kim Jin-hwan.

South Korea has planted many roadside trees every year for urban forestation. However, underground water shortage causes abnormal growth in roots. When tree roots are not kept under control, they can damage underground utilities or cause dangerous sinkholes. POSCO and Mystech have jointly developed a tree barrier made of high-strength and corrosion-resistant steel products.