South Korea's Ministry of Science and ICT and the Korea Industrial Technology Association said on Monday they selected Samsung Heavy Industries group head Hwang Hyang-an (황향안) and TMS Industry CEO Cho Yoon-ho (조윤호) as winners of the November 2026 Korea Engineer Award.

Hwang was recognised for developing anti-corrosion ship paint that contains almost no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and low-toxicity anti-fouling paint that excludes harmful substances.

The eco-friendly anti-corrosion paint Hwang developed has expanded to more than 250 ships since it was first applied to an actual vessel in 2018, the first in the world. He also commercialised seven types of low-toxicity anti-fouling paint that prevents marine organisms from attaching.

Cho developed an automation system for waste battery recycling processes using AI, collaborative robots and digital twin technology.

The system automated freezing, discharging, crushing and separation processes for waste batteries. It reduced processing time by 25 percent, staffing by 30 percent and workspace by 60 percent compared with existing methods. Daily throughput doubled.

The Korea Engineer Award is presented to engineers who contribute to technological innovation in industrial sites. Winners receive a minister's commendation from the Ministry of Science and ICT and prize money of 5 million won.