[Courtesy of GS Caltex]
GS Caltex said that the company has started receiving four digital payment methods -- Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, PAYCO and Zero Pay -- at 1,450 gas stations. The refiner said that all of its gas stations would support digital payments during the first half of 2021.
"We now provide more convenient services for customers to match the rapidly changing transaction technology trend," GS Caltex said in a statement on November 2. Customers can make transactions by scanning QR codes displayed on mobile transaction apps.
South Korea's digital payment market is increasing rapidly thanks to young consumers who used smartphones for payment instead of carrying a wallet stuffed with cash or credit cards. The Financial Supervisory Service, a financial watchdog, estimated that more than 120 trillion won ($105.6 billion) worth of transactions was made using digital payments in 2019.
Digital payment services offer special benefits such as cash points and discounts through affiliated online shopping malls. An ordinary person uses an average of three digital payments while 80 percent of consumers in their 20s use digital transaction services.
The adoption of digital payment services is part of the refiner's digital transformation. Earlier this year, GS Caltex would use gas stations for all-in-one last-mile services and as a hub for logistics, cultural space and refueling.
Park Sae-jin
Experienced journalist and editor at AJU PRESS specializing in multilingual news. I cover international diplomacy, geolpolitics, and policy, consistently delivering highly accurate, compelling reporting for a worldwide audience.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.
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GS Caltex and FC Seoul Celebrate Championships, Marking a Golden Era for GS Group Sports
GS Group's sports teams are experiencing a golden era. Following the GS Caltex women's volleyball team winning both the championship and cup titles, FC Seoul has secured the K League 1 title for the first time in 10 years, bringing home three trophies this year.On October 24, FC Seoul drew 1-1 against Gangwon FC in a home match at Seoul World Cup Stadium during the 33rd round of the Hana Bank K League 1 2026. With 67 points (20 wins, 7 draws, 6 losses), Seoul maintained a 16-point lead over second-place Ulsan Hyundai (51 points), ensuring their championship regardless of the outcomes of the remaining five matches.This marks FC Seoul's return to the top of the league for the first time since 2016, increasing their total championship count to seven, including their time as Anyang LG. They are now tied for second place in all-time K League 1 titles.Seoul established a commanding lead early in the season, winning their opening match against Incheon United 2-1 and achieving a franchise-first four consecutive wins to start the season. They clinched the title before entering the final round, becoming only the third team to do so, following Jeonbuk Hyundai in 2018 and 2025.Head coach Kim Gi-dong, who took over in December 2023, led the team to its first K League title in his third year. This victory is his first championship as a head coach.GS Group's owners were present to celebrate the victory. Heo Tae-soo, chairman of GS Group, watched the match at Seoul World Cup Stadium on the day the championship was confirmed. This is the first league title for Seoul since Heo took office in 2020.After the match, Heo encouraged the players, stating, "During my last visit, I asked for a healthy season without injuries, and you responded with a championship after 10 years. I want to share this joy with the fans who have longed for a title."Heo Chang-soo, chairman of GS Construction and owner of FC Seoul, has been involved with the team since 1998, playing a crucial role in its transition to FC Seoul. He visited the stadium with executives during a match against Bucheon FC 1995 on August 25.As the team continued to perform well, attendance at home games surged. This season, the average attendance exceeded 22,000, with a record 24,122 fans attending the home opener against Gwangju FC on March 22. The match against Jeonbuk Hyundai on April 11 drew 30,068 spectators.In addition to FC Seoul's success, GS Caltex also celebrated a championship victory this month. On October 18, they defeated Korea Expressway Corporation 3-2 (25-23, 26-28, 18-25, 25-22, 15-5) in the final of the 2026 Yeosu NH Nonghyup Cup women's volleyball tournament, reclaiming the title for the first time in three years and increasing their total championship count to seven, the most in women's volleyball history.During the tournament, the team received support from their owner. According to GS Caltex, the players were invited by CEO Heo Se-hong to visit the 'GS Caltex Yeoulmaru' and 'Jangdo Island' on October 13, the day of their first group match, to relax and change the atmosphere. They toured the Yeoulmaru Grand Theater and rehearsal hall before crossing to Jangdo Island to view exhibitions and enjoy piano performances.Following this, GS Caltex won all three remaining matches to secure the championship. Heo Se-hong congratulated the team immediately after their victory, expressing pride in their achievement and gratitude to the employees of the GS Caltex Yeosu plant who supported them.Earlier, GS Caltex had also won their fourth championship in the 2025-2026 V League finals, defeating Korea Expressway Corporation in three consecutive matches. They won all six postseason matches after starting from the playoffs, marking the first time a third-place team finished the championship series undefeated.Heo Se-hong also visited the Jangchung Gymnasium, where the third match of the finals was held, to celebrate with the team after their victory.Central to GS Caltex's success has been foreign star Gisele Silva, who led the league in scoring (1,083 points) and overall attack success rate (47.33%) last season, becoming the first player in professional volleyball history to surpass 1,000 points in three consecutive seasons. She also earned MVP honors for both the regular season and the finals.GS Caltex re-signed Silva in April for a fourth consecutive season, and she was a key contributor to their cup victory.FC Seoul's season is not yet over, as they have five matches remaining in the final round. They face challenges in the Asian arena, currently sitting at the bottom of Group E in the 2026-2027 AFC Champions League with two losses. To advance to the knockout stage, they must improve their standings in the remaining four matches.GS Caltex will open the 2026-2027 V League season against Korea Expressway Corporation on October 31, with their next goal being to secure back-to-back championships. Head coach Lee Yong-taek expressed determination at the women's media day on October 7, stating, "Given the challenges of the regular season, we will strive for a second consecutive title."* This article has been translated by AI.
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GS Caltex Continues 'No Accident Reward' Program Despite Workplace Injury
GS Caltex's Yeosu plant is facing allegations of intentionally concealing a serious workplace injury after an employee suffered burns from exposure to chemicals. The company classified the incident as minor and continued to accumulate a record of no accidents, even awarding employees for it. The labor union, aware of the incident, only requested the company to self-report without taking independent action, drawing criticism for its passive response.According to reports from Aju Economy, the incident occurred on May 10 at 10:24 a.m. when an employee at the Residuum Fluid Catalytic Cracking (RFCC) unit sustained burns. The employee was exposed to chemicals and suffered burns on their feet and other areas. The following day, the employee was hospitalized at a burn specialist hospital in Gwangju. Despite being unable to work for several months due to treatment, the company categorized the incident as a 'First Aid' level response. During this time, the record of no accidents continued to grow.The labor union was aware of the situation from the moment of the incident. At 10:50 a.m. on the day of the accident, they received reports from union members, and the union chairman visited the RFCC team to gather details. The union stated in a press release that they recognized the company had not reported the incident and requested a self-report, but the company maintained that it was a First Aid situation.While receiving treatment, the injured employee was still recorded as having normal attendance. After the inadequacy of the accident response became apparent, the company reportedly retroactively changed the attendance record to sick leave.Amid this, the company awarded employees for achieving a no-accident record. In early August, GS Caltex distributed gift certificates worth approximately 1 million won to employees for achieving a no-accident incident rate.Kim Sung-min, the Chief Safety and Environment Officer (CSEO) of GS Caltex, issued a statement acknowledging, "We relied solely on formal and procedural criteria, concluding the incident as a First Aid situation without making it a significant issue. This judgment was a clear error, and the consequences of the incident were far from trivial."He further admitted, "It is an unreasonable situation that the safety incident accumulated even while the injured employee was unable to work for months. This is a result of my arrogance and mistakes."The union also released a newsletter regarding the incident, explaining that they did not conduct a separate report due to concerns that the injured member might face legal repercussions or internal disciplinary actions, stating, "This was not an attempt to cover up the incident but a consideration of the best course of action."Meanwhile, a GS Caltex representative stated, "We are currently verifying the facts regarding the circumstances of the incident, follow-up actions, and the contents of Kim Sung-min's statement and the union's newsletter." GS Caltex previously announced in February that it would invest approximately 600 billion won annually in maintenance work, including the refurbishment of the Yeosu plant, during a 'No Accident, No Injury Commitment Ceremony' attended by Kim and representatives from partner companies.* This article has been translated by AI.
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