The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources on Monday awarded special bonuses to 45 employees, totaling 91 million won ($61,500), in recognition of their contributions to stabilizing energy supplies and safeguarding the economy amid prolonged Middle East tensions. A ceremony was held at Sejong Government Complex to recognize 11 initiatives led by the employees who maintained emergency response operations, helping mitigate disruptions to global energy markets since late February. The ministry said many of the recipients had worked around the clock for months to manage the energy and supply chain crisis. Their efforts focused on stabilizing domestic supplies of petroleum and naphtha while minimizing disruptions to households and businesses. Among the largest recipients was the resource industry policy division, where 24 officials, including Director General Kim Jong-chul, received a total of 57 million won for five initiatives. The team established a 24-hour emergency response system immediately after the U.S.-Iran conflict broke out and deployed a broad range of policy measures, includi