Ceremony held with Suncheon Branch Prosecutors' Office, juvenile crime prevention committee and Yeosu YMCA
GS Caltex announced Friday that it held the first-half completion ceremony for its 2026 "Maum Toktok" at-risk youth program at the Yeosu YMCA Youth Center, in partnership with the Gwangju District Prosecutors' Office Suncheon Branch, the South Jeolla Eastern Regional Council of the Ministry of Justice's Juvenile Crime Prevention Committee and the Yeosu YMCA.
About 40 people attended, including Suncheon Branch prosecutor Park Young-su, South Jeolla Eastern Regional Council chair Moon Sang-bong, Yeosu YMCA board chairman Jeong Geum-ho, GS Caltex executive director Kim Jong-eun, GS Caltex Go team director Kim Young-hwan (9-dan) and player Ryu Min-hyung (9-dan), along with the seven youth participants who completed the first-half course. Those present gathered to celebrate the young participants' fresh start.
The event opened with instructional Go matches led by professional players from the GS Caltex Go team, followed by a mentoring session from prosecutor Park.
A video highlighting the program's first-half achievements was then screened and completion certificates were presented. The youth participants shared the changes they had experienced through the program and their commitments going forward.
"Maum Toktok" is GS Caltex's flagship corporate social responsibility program, targeting at-risk youth in eastern South Jeolla Province — including Yeosu and Suncheon — who have received a conditional suspension of indictment. The program focuses on healing and recovery rather than punishment, supporting participants in growing into healthy members of society.
It combines professional psychological counseling for emotional recovery with a Go-based therapy component made possible through pro bono contributions from the GS Caltex Go team and the Korea Baduk Association, helping participants build concentration, self-regulation and confidence while supporting their reintegration into society.
Since its launch in 2016, "Maum Toktok" has grown into the leading youth guidance program in eastern South Jeolla Province, with more than 470 at-risk youth having taken part over its 11 years through this year.
Through its approach combining psychological counseling and Go, the program supports participants' emotional stability, improved self-regulation, recidivism prevention and healthy social adjustment, and has been recognized as a model of cooperation among government, industry and civil society.
Prosecutor Park, speaking during a mentoring session with the youth participants, said the program "is a meaningful initiative that integrates educational content — psychological counseling and Go — to give young people the chance to change and grow on their own terms, rather than through judicial punishment." He added that he hoped the participants would "use the concentration and self-regulation skills gained through this course to build confidence and grow into healthy members of society."
An official at GS Caltex's Yeosu factory said the company had "created opportunities for healing and growth alongside more than 470 young people since 2016," and pledged to "continue working closely with local partner organizations to provide ongoing support so that young people can nurture their dreams and hopes and grow into healthy members of society."
parkds@heraldcorp.com
