Hyundai Steel has transitioned its hybrid low‑carbon steel sheets from pilot to full production, achieving a significant reduction in carbon emissions and pioneering a world-first process that blends electric arc furnace and blast furnace methods, supporting the global shift towards greener steel manufacturing.
Hyundai Steel has moved its first hybrid low‑carbon steel sheets from pilot to full commercial output, introducing a production route that mixes molten iron derived from electric arc furnaces with that from traditional blast furnaces and achieves more than a 20% cut in cradle‑to‑gate carbon emissions versus blast‑furnace‑only products. According to The Korea Times, the company began mass production in February 2026 after running stability and quality verification at its Dangjin mill since April 2023.
The process represents what Hyundai Steel describes as a world first in hybridising EAF‑sourced melt with blast‑furnace feedstock, leveraging the firm’s experience across both technologies. The company has won grade certification for 25 products made this way, including two low‑carbon sheet grades now in volume manufacture, and intends to certify a further 28 grades within the year to reach 53 certified variants, The Korea Times and Asiae report. Hyundai Steel says it will supply these materials first to Hyundai Motor and Kia for selected models built in Korea and Europe this year, and aims to expand sales to other OEMs, parts suppliers and to thicker plates for offshore wind substructures.
The move aligns with Hyundai Motor Group’s wider emissions plans and with Hyundai Steel’s own carbon strategy. The company has set out a roadmap to cut emissions and pursue net zero by 2050 through initiatives such as the Hy‑Cube integration and a planned hydrogen‑based manufacturing system, according to its sustainability materials. Hyundai Steel has also been active in third‑party environmental verification: earlier EPD certification for EAF‑produced H‑beams , confirmed by the Ministry of Environment and reported in 2025 , demonstrates the firm’s push to quantify product carbon footprints and to access demand channels that favour certified green materials.
Industry context underlines both the opportunity and the challenge. Electric‑arc routes can deliver substantial emissions advantages because they mainly reuse scrap or low‑carbon feedstocks; Hyundai Steel’s own materials note that EAF‑made products may emit only a fraction of the CO2 of blast‑furnace equivalents. South Korean coverage and a November analysis in Chosun Biz highlight government pressure , including national greenhouse‑gas reduction targets and external measures such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism , that is encouraging steelmakers to scale EAF capacity and hybrid approaches. Hyundai Steel told reporters its intention is to “proactively respond to global customers’ growing demand for carbon reduction and actively support the carbon‑neutral transition of key demand industries, including automotive and energy steel,” a Hyundai Steel official said.
However, the economics of EAF and hybrid production are nuanced. Domestic reporting points to elevated input costs for EAFs: scrap and hot‑briquetted iron commonly trade at premiums versus iron ore, and electricity bills have risen sharply, pushing operating costs higher for companies with larger EAF fleets. A recent industry piece noted that a major Korean EAF operator saw electricity charges jump by more than 110 billion won year‑on‑year, underscoring the exposure to power prices that steelmakers must manage as they decarbonise.
For buyers in automotive supply chains and in energy infrastructure, Hyundai Steel’s certified low‑carbon grades offer a pragmatic pathway to lower scope‑3 emissions without waiting for full hydrogen or direct‑reduction rollouts. The company is pursuing additional international certifications and testing to broaden market access, while also developing ultra‑high‑strength and lighter H‑beam products that can reduce material use and embodied emissions in construction, as documented in its previous EPD‑related disclosures.
As the sector shifts, Hyundai Steel’s hybrid route occupies an intermediate position between conventional blast‑furnace production and the longer‑term promise of hydrogen‑based or fully EAF‑scrap steelmaking. Its commercialisation supplies automakers and energy developers with certified, lower‑carbon steel today, but wider adoption will hinge on managing input cost volatility, securing reliable low‑carbon electricity and scaling further reductions envisaged in the company’s 2030 and 2050 plans.
- https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260204/hyundai-steel-begins-mass-production-of-low-carbon-steel-sheets?utm_source=rss – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260204/hyundai-steel-begins-mass-production-of-low-carbon-steel-sheets?utm_source=rss – Hyundai Steel has commenced mass production of low-emission steel sheets, achieving over a 20% reduction in carbon emissions compared to products made solely through conventional blast furnace processes. This advancement is part of the company’s efforts to meet tightening environmental regulations. The steelmaker has successfully commercialised the world’s first hybrid process that combines molten iron produced by an electric arc furnace (EAF) with that from a blast furnace, leveraging its expertise in both technologies. Full-scale mass production began in February 2026, following stability and quality verification tests conducted since April 2023 at its Dangjin steel mill in South Chungcheong Province. The company has completed grade certification for 25 steel products manufactured using the new process, including two types of low-emission steel sheets. Hyundai Steel plans to secure certification for an additional 28 products within the year, expanding the total to 53 certified grades. This initiative aligns with Hyundai Motor Group’s broader carbon reduction roadmap, with Hyundai Motor and Kia planning to apply low-emission steel materials to selected models produced in Korea and Europe starting this year. Hyundai Steel aims to widen the use of low-emission steel to global automakers and auto parts suppliers, as well as to thick steel plates for offshore wind power substructures, strengthening market competitiveness by securing various global certifications and conducting extensive testing.
- https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/tech/2025/02/129_351846.html – Hyundai Steel has received an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certification from the Ministry of Environment, becoming the first company in the domestic steel industry to obtain this certification for its low-carbon H-beam products. The EPD certification is awarded to products that demonstrate lower carbon emissions than similar products. Hyundai Steel’s H-beams are produced using electric furnace methods, utilising recycled iron scrap. The EPD verifies that the products produced through blast furnace processes are eco-friendly compared to similar products. This recognition highlights Hyundai Steel’s contribution to a low-carbon society. The company plans to lead in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) management by making differentiated efforts to reduce carbon emissions and seize opportunities in the global low-carbon market. Additionally, Hyundai Steel has established a production system for ultra-high-strength H-beams (460MPa), offering approximately 1.3 times greater strength than existing products. This innovation allows for reduced steel weight, resulting in cost savings and shorter construction periods, while maintaining low carbon emissions. Low-carbon products fall under the ‘green products’ category adopted by the Ministry of Environment. The use of low-carbon product materials in residential and non-residential buildings can earn additional points in the Green Standard for Energy and Environmental Design (G-SEED) program, which evaluates the environmental performance of buildings. Buildings rated higher than the excellent grade in the G-SEED program receive benefits such as reduced acquisition taxes.
- https://biz.chosun.com/en/en-industry/2025/11/09/623NANW6MVFMXP4J2S5Q563DXY/ – Korean steelmakers, including Hyundai Steel, are expanding the use of electric arc furnaces (EAFs) to reduce carbon emissions, despite rising costs. Hyundai Steel is operating one rebar EAF and one special steel EAF, with plans for commercial production to begin in January 2026. This initiative is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 20% compared to the existing blast furnace process. In phase two, using a new EAF to be completed in 2030, it will be possible to produce products with 40% lower emissions. The introduction of EAFs and combined EAF-blast furnace processes by steelmakers is also related to cutting greenhouse gases. The government aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50% from 2018 levels by 2035. The steel industry is among the sectors with high carbon emissions, emitting about 2 tons of carbon dioxide to produce 1 ton of steel. Carbon emission regulations are tightening worldwide, including the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). Running EAFs lowers carbon emissions, but the rising expense is a burden. The main raw materials used in EAFs—steel scrap and the low-carbon steelmaking feedstock HBI (Hot Briquetted Iron)—are more expensive than iron ore, and electricity bills are also high. As industrial power rates have surged recently, Dongkuk Steel Mill, which has the highest share of EAFs (76.05%) in Korea, paid 299.8 billion won in electricity charges last year, up by more than 110 billion won from the previous year.
- https://www.hyundai-steel.com/en/sustainability/environment – Hyundai Steel is committed to environmental management through various initiatives, including water resource reduction, pollution minimisation, and fulfilling ethical and social responsibilities. The company has established a carbon footprint assessment system through Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), covering raw material extraction, transportation, product production, and shipment. In 2020, Hyundai Steel developed an internal system to calculate the carbon footprint of products (CFP) independently and plans to receive third-party verification or certification to ensure data consistency and reliability. Since 2019, the company has obtained domestic and international Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) certifications to respond to customer demands for environmental information on products. Hyundai Steel has been continuously maintaining and renewing these certifications to ensure compliance, demonstrating that its products meet environmental standards required by customers and reflecting its commitment to providing relevant information. The company also participates in the government-led Korean Energy Efficiency Innovation Partnership ‘KEEP30’ and aims to achieve an energy reduction rate of 5% from 2023 to 2027 by implementing various energy-saving activities. Through the ISO 50001 (Energy Management System) certification, Hyundai Steel is committed to improving energy efficiency and usage throughout the entire process, from energy planning to implementation of improvements.
- https://www.hyundai-steel.com/en/sustainability/carbon-neutral – Hyundai Steel has outlined its carbon neutrality roadmap, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by 12% by 2030, with the ultimate goal of achieving net-zero by 2050. The company plans to implement a carbon-neutral manufacturing system called ‘Hy-Cube’ and introduce a ‘hydrogen-based steel manufacturing system’ in line with the 2050 carbon neutrality scenario and the 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). In the steel industry, products are manufactured through either blast furnace or electric arc furnace processes. Steel products made in an electric arc furnace have only 25% of the carbon emissions compared to those made in a blast furnace, due to the characteristics of their raw materials and manufacturing process. Hyundai Steel has the largest production capacity of electric arc furnaces, producing over 10 million tons of steel annually. The company plans to implement the ‘Hy-Cube’ system, a unique integration manufacturing system based on the hydrogen gas manufacturing process, to achieve carbon neutrality.
- https://cm.asiae.co.kr/en/article/2026020310403481452 – Hyundai Steel has begun mass production of its ‘carbon-reduced steel sheet,’ which emits approximately 20% less carbon compared to products made using the traditional blast furnace method. This advancement is part of the company’s efforts to meet tightening environmental regulations. The steelmaker has successfully commercialised the world’s first hybrid process that combines molten iron produced by an electric furnace-basic oxygen furnace combined process with that from a blast furnace, leveraging its accumulated expertise in both technologies. Full-scale mass production began in February 2026, following stability and quality verification tests conducted since April 2023 at its Dangjin steel mill in South Chungcheong Province. The company has completed grade certification for 25 steel products manufactured using the new process, including two types of low-emission steel sheets. Hyundai Steel plans to secure certification for an additional 28 products within the year, expanding the total to 53 certified grades. This initiative aligns with Hyundai Motor Group’s broader carbon reduction roadmap, with Hyundai Motor and Kia planning to apply low-emission steel materials to selected models produced in Korea and Europe starting this year. Hyundai Steel aims to widen the use of low-emission steel to global automakers and auto parts suppliers, as well as to thick steel plates for offshore wind power substructures, strengthening market competitiveness by securing various global certifications and conducting extensive testing.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
8
Notes:
The article reports Hyundai Steel’s commencement of mass production of low-emission steel sheets, with full-scale production beginning in February 2026. This aligns with recent reports from The Korea Times and other sources, indicating that the information is current and not recycled. However, the earliest known publication date of similar content is February 3, 2026, suggesting that the news is very recent. The article appears to be based on a press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No significant discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The content does not recycle older material and includes updated data. Overall, the freshness score is high, but the very recent publication date of similar content slightly reduces the score.
Quotes check
Score:
7
Notes:
The article includes direct quotes from Hyundai Steel officials. However, these quotes cannot be independently verified through online searches, as no online matches were found. This raises concerns about the authenticity and accuracy of the quotes. Without independent verification, the credibility of these statements is uncertain. Therefore, the quotes check score is moderate.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The article originates from The Korea Times, a major news organisation in South Korea. This is a strength, as major news organisations are generally considered reliable sources. However, the article appears to be based on a press release, which may indicate a lack of independent reporting. Additionally, the article includes direct quotes from Hyundai Steel officials that cannot be independently verified, raising concerns about potential bias or lack of objectivity. Therefore, while the source is reputable, the reliance on a press release and unverifiable quotes slightly reduces the source reliability score.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the article are plausible and align with industry trends towards reducing carbon emissions in steel production. Hyundai Steel’s initiative to produce low-emission steel sheets is consistent with global efforts to promote sustainable manufacturing practices. The article provides specific details, such as the commencement of full-scale production in February 2026 and plans to supply these materials to Hyundai Motor and Kia for selected models built in Korea and Europe. These details enhance the plausibility of the claims. However, the inability to independently verify the quotes from Hyundai Steel officials introduces a slight uncertainty. Overall, the plausibility score is high.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article reports on Hyundai Steel’s commencement of mass production of low-emission steel sheets, with full-scale production beginning in February 2026. The information is current and aligns with industry trends towards sustainable manufacturing practices. However, the article appears to be based on a press release, and the direct quotes from Hyundai Steel officials cannot be independently verified, raising concerns about the independence and authenticity of the information. Therefore, while the article passes the fact-checking criteria, the medium confidence rating reflects these concerns.
