The tie with steel
Park went to Lyamabuk Middle School. He was mobilized into steel manufacture service during the second world war. It was his first encounter with steel. At that time, the director of the workplace noticed that he had a talent for the sintering process.
Relationship with Park Chung Hee
The relationship with Park Chung Hee (3rd President of South Korea) started from 1947 when they were in the military. Park Chung Hee, who was a company commander and also an instructor of ballistics, carefully observed Park Taejoon's behavior because he was good at mathematics and followed his own strict rules. He had become distant from Park Chung Hee since his graduation. Their relationship started again 10 years later when he had worked in the Headquarters of the Army as a colonel. At the same time, Junghui Park had been assigned as a commander of logistics support base asked Park Taejoon to assist him as the chief of staff. In spring of 1961, Park Chung Hee had prepared a military coup, which is well known as the 5.16 military coup, with some officers. Many commanders, including Jongpil Kim participated in the 5.16 military coup. Two months after the success of 5.16 military coup, Park Chung Hee assigned Park Taejoon as a chief secretary of chairman on nation reconstruction council. In September, Park Chung Hee assigned him as a chief member of commerce and industry division on nation reconstruction council. Park Taejoon had always accompanied Park Chung Hee on every business trip. In 1963, Park Taejoon and Park Junghui became civilians. Since Junghui Park had taken part in politics, many commanders who had followed him had also taken part in politics, except Park Taejoon, who turned to be a businessman. At the end of this year, Park Taejoon was assigned CEO of the Korean Tungsten. He had changed the company from deficit to surplus. In 1967, Park Taejoon got special command to establish Pohang Iron & Steel Co. from president Park Junghui and was assigned as CEO of Pohang Iron & Steel Co. in 1978.[17] After the death of president Park Chung Hee, Park Taejoon volunteered to be the guardian of the son of president Park, Park Jiman.[18] Park Taejoon supported him when he tried to take over Samyang Industries.[19][20]
Relationship with Seung-duk Koh
In 1984, Go Seung-deok married Park Yu-a, who is a second daughter of Park Tae-joon, chairman of the once ruling United Liberal Democrats, and previous CEO of POSCO. Park Yu-a majored in Fine Art at Ewha Womans University.[21] After graduation, she studied art history and drawing in the United States with Koh Seung-duk. They had their first child, Candy Koh, in 1987. When Tae-jun Part died in 2011, Go Seung-deok visited the Yonsei University Severance Hospital to condole the late Park Tae-joon. At that time, he said about the deceased, "He really was a great person, concerned about only big things of the nation" and he also said "Seriously, he is a tycoon of the times in Korea"
Friendship and camaraderie
Park Taejoon liked people and usually got along with ex-president Chun Doohwan, ex-president Roh Moo-hyun, and prime minister Kim Jong-pil. In finance, he was close with Samsung's Lee Byungchul, Hyundai's Chung Ju-yung, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun Hee, the honorary chairman of SK Telecom Son Gil-seung, former Daewoo Group Chairman Kim Woojung, and also writer Jo Jung-rae.
In 2011, he was treated for breathing difficulties, and hospitalized on December 13, 2011, in Yonsei Hospital. He died at the age of 84 after taking a serious turn.[22][23] Although he got lung treatment at Cornell Hospital in 2001, he continued to suffer from after effects. Also, he left a will, in which he stated his hope for POSCO to grow as a power of national industry.
