Half of 1 billion won in Give & Race donations delivered to Busan City Hall

Unused space at Songsanghyeon Square in Busanjin-gu to be renovated

Youth culture and activity space set to open in 2027

Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee Chairperson Shirin Emira (left) and Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo pose for a photo. [Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee]
Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee Chairperson Shirin Emira (left) and Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo pose for a photo. [Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee]

The Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee held a donation ceremony at Busan City Hall on Thursday, delivering 500 million won of the 1 billion won ($722,000) raised through the 13th Mercedes-Benz Give & Race, held this April, to support the creation of a dedicated youth cultural complex, the committee announced Friday.

The ceremony was attended by CSR Committee Chairperson Shirin Emira and committee member Lee Sang-guk, along with Busan Mayor Jeon Jae-soo, Kim Byung-kee of the Children and Future Foundation, and Choi Byung-han, president of Busan MBC.

"It is deeply meaningful that the warm hearts of Give & Race participants are being transformed into a new space where Busan's youth can freely spend time, gain diverse experiences and grow," Shirin Emira said. "We will continue our social contribution activities in ways that make a real difference to the growth of the next generation and the development of local communities."

The donation will fund the renovation of unused space at Songsanghyeon Square in Busanjin-gu into a roughly 315-square-meter youth complex called "Youth PLAY & ESG," which will include furniture, hands-on equipment and program content development. The space is targeted to open in 2027.

The CSR Committee has consistently directed funds raised through Give & Race — a citizen-participation charity run — toward facility projects for children and youth in local communities. Of the 1 billion won raised at this year's 13th Give & Race, 500 million won was earlier allocated to establish a child protection center in Dongducheon, while the remaining 500 million won will go toward the Busan youth complex.

The committee has held Give & Race in Busan in partnership with the city since 2020, donating a cumulative 3 billion won to support the growth and development of children and youth in the region.

Meanwhile, the CSR Committee has been expanding its vehicle support program — previously focused on social welfare organizations — into the public safety sector, including a recent donation of electric SUVs to fire departments across the country.


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