"First and foremost, safety; second, safety; third, safety. People and talent are the greatest assets of a company."

This is the steadfast management philosophy of Jang Won-gyu (61), Chairman of Hwaseong Valve Co., Ltd., who has dedicated 30 years of his life solely to valve manufacturing.

Despite the fact that imported products from countries like Germany and Italy still dominate half of the domestic valve market, Jang is determined to close the gap. “We invest over 3% of our annual sales into R&D every year, and we will continue to bridge that gap,” he says.

His company is also actively developing new products incorporating AI technology, and is accelerating its push into the hydrogen valve business.

When visiting his office recently, the weight of the company’s motto – "Sincerity, Responsibility, Safety" – hung on the wall, reflecting the core values that Jang holds dear as he steers the company forward.