A-K Steel Corporation's recent change of top management could cost the company more than 60 million dollars in parting benefits.

A-K Steel said today its obligations for severance pay and

retirement benefits to former chief executive Richard Wardrop and

president John Hritz could total 63 million dollars. The company told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it is evaluating those benefits and may try to negotiate a reduction with Wardrop and Hritz, if possible.

A-K Steel said it has paid a portion of the money to them, but

won't pay any more until the evaluation is complete.

Wardrop declined to comment this evening. Hritz couldn't be

reached for comment. They both resigned in September under an

agreement with A-K Steel's board of directors, after months of

company losses and a fall in its stock price.

The company's operations include steel mills in Ohio, Kentucky,

Indiana and Pennsylvania and an industrial park on the Houston ship

channel in Texas.