About 200 college students to participate

Volunteer and cultural exchange activities set for July and August

Local university students also selected to broaden exchange

A Happy Move volunteer with Hyundai Motor Group smiles while talking with a local woman in India. [Hyundai Motor Group]
A Happy Move volunteer with Hyundai Motor Group smiles while talking with a local woman in India. [Hyundai Motor Group]

Hyundai Motor Group's college student overseas volunteer program Happy Move will carry out activities in Indonesia and Vietnam this year.

Hyundai Motor Group announced Wednesday that it held a launch ceremony for the "2026 Happy Move" program at the Hyundai Motor and Kia headquarters in Yangjae, Seocho-gu, Seoul, marking the start of this year's program.

Happy Move is Hyundai Motor Group's flagship corporate social responsibility initiative, designed to help college students grow through overseas volunteering and cultural exchange while deepening their understanding of global social issues. Since its launch in 2008, more than 13,000 college students have taken part.

The ceremony was attended by Sung Kim, president and head of strategic planning at Hyundai Motor Group, and Kim Dong-wook, executive vice president and head of the strategic planning office, along with other group officials, Habitat for Humanity Korea chairperson Ma Hee-ja, World Vision Korea division head Na Yun-cheol, Plan Korea director Kim Byeong-hak, about 200 student volunteers and employee mentors.

In his welcoming remarks, Sung Kim said he hoped the experience would be "a meaningful time to learn the value of sharing in the field and to understand different cultures." He added that "since volunteering is both an act of helping others and a process of growing oneself, I hope participants gain a new perspective and confidence through Happy Move."

Following the ceremony, this year's Happy Move members will undergo a two-night, three-day domestic orientation covering basic training for overseas volunteering, safety education and cultural exchange preparation. They will then be dispatched to Indonesia and Vietnam in July and August, respectively.

Hyundai Motor Group recruited participants from universities nationwide last month, opening applications regardless of gender, age, region or major. Final members were selected through document screening and interviews. All costs, including airfare and local activity expenses, are fully covered for those selected.

Members deployed to Indonesia will work alongside Habitat for Humanity and Plan Korea on activities including building homes for vulnerable communities, repairing school facilities, and providing education on waste management, recycling and hygiene. Indonesia is grappling with widening income inequality and housing challenges amid rapid economic growth, as well as environmental issues and shrinking green spaces driven by urbanization.

An exchange program with local university students is also planned. Participants will hold discussions on climate and the environment and put on cultural performances together. Visits to Hyundai Motor's Indonesia manufacturing subsidiary (HMMI) and Hyundai Motorstudio Senayan Park are also on the itinerary.

In Vietnam, the program will partner with World Vision. Volunteers will take part in STEAM education and oral hygiene classes, the construction of a school library and mural painting. STEAM refers to an integrated educational approach combining science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. Vietnam also faces regional and income disparities that have left some children from vulnerable communities in need of improved educational and living conditions.

Members dispatched to Vietnam will hold cultural exchange events with kindergarten and elementary school students and local residents in their activity areas. A visit to Hyundai Motor's Vietnam manufacturing subsidiary (HTMV) is also included in the schedule.

This year, Hyundai Motor Group separately selected local university students in Indonesia and Vietnam to participate in Happy Move alongside the Korean volunteers. The aim is to give Korean and local members the chance to work together and deepen their mutual understanding of each other's cultures. Beyond simple volunteering, the program aims to offer participants the experience of examining local issues and collaborating on solutions with young people from the host countries.

"Happy Move is the largest college student social contribution program in Korea," a Hyundai Motor Group official said. "We will continue to provide active support so that the next generation can grow into global leaders."


kwater@heraldcorp.com