Appointment ceremony held Tuesday at the Supreme Prosecutors' Office in Seocho-gu, Seoul

'A group that embodies moving forward together as something greater,' acting prosecutor general says

Acting Prosecutor General Gu Ja-hyeon poses for a photo with idol group Hearts2Hearts after the group was appointed as the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's youth anti-drug ambassador at the office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. [Yonhap]
Acting Prosecutor General Gu Ja-hyeon poses for a photo with idol group Hearts2Hearts after the group was appointed as the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's youth anti-drug ambassador at the office in Seocho-gu, Seoul, on Tuesday. [Yonhap]

By Yang Geun-hyuk, The Herald Business

Hearts2Hearts, an idol group under SM Entertainment, has been named the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's first youth anti-drug ambassador.

The Supreme Prosecutors' Office appointed the group at a ceremony held Tuesday morning in the main conference room of its Seoul headquarters in Seocho-gu. An office official explained the reasoning behind the selection, saying the office had launched a campaign under the message "Hearts On — Light Up Your Dreams, Brighten Your Future" to encourage healthy choices among young people. "As the first step of that campaign, we selected Hearts2Hearts — a group that has been a positive influence on youth — as the Supreme Prosecutors' Office's inaugural youth anti-drug ambassador," the official said.

All eight members of Hearts2Hearts attended the ceremony, along with senior prosecutors including Acting Prosecutor General Gu Ja-hyeon, who also serves as deputy prosecutor general. The roughly 100 seats set up at the venue filled early, leaving dozens of prosecutors' office staff to watch the appointment ceremony standing.

In his opening remarks, Gu warned that young people are increasingly exposed to the dangers of drugs as narcotics spread through online platforms and social media. "Prosecutors are responding strictly in accordance with the law and principles, but crackdowns and punishment alone are not enough to protect youth from drugs," he said. "Prevention — keeping young people from ever encountering drugs in the first place — is critically important."

Gu went on to say that Hearts2Hearts is "a group whose name embodies the idea of moving forward together as something greater, through music filled with diverse emotions and sincere messages." He added that the group's desire to connect people and grow together "aligns with the spirit of anti-drug prevention activities that encourage young people to respect one another and grow up healthy."

Members Jiwoo and Yuha spoke on behalf of the group at the ceremony. "Since Hearts2Hearts is around the same age as many of our young fans, I want to reach them as an ambassador in a way that feels genuine and approachable," Jiwoo said. Yuha said, "Our fans have shown us so much love and support, and we want to give back by sharing a positive message."


yg@heraldcorp.com