Hyundai Steel has commenced construction of a pilot facility for direct reduced iron (DRI) production at its Dangjin Steelworks in South Chungcheong Province. DRI is a form of iron produced in a solid state without the traditional melting process of iron ore. 

The pilot plant, designed to produce 30 kilograms of molten iron per hour, will serve as a testing ground for various DRI manufacturing techniques. 

Hyundai Steel plans to begin operating the facility next year to validate production processes and gather operational data. The knowledge gained from this pilot project will be applied to the development and operation of the company's planned steel mill in Louisiana, United States.