From left, Ham Hyeon-jin, head of Seoul Metropolitan Government's Health Management Division; Jo Yeong-chang, director of the city's Public Health Bureau; Lee Jeong-yeol, chairman of the Hy Social Welfare Foundation; and Kim Geun-hyeon, head of Hy's Customer-Centered Team, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony on Friday. [Hy]
From left, Ham Hyeon-jin, head of Seoul Metropolitan Government's Health Management Division; Jo Yeong-chang, director of the city's Public Health Bureau; Lee Jeong-yeol, chairman of the Hy Social Welfare Foundation; and Kim Geun-hyeon, head of Hy's Customer-Centered Team, pose for a photo at the MOU signing ceremony on Friday. [Hy]

Hy announced Friday that it had signed an MOU with the Seoul Metropolitan Government for the "Donating Staircase" project. The signing ceremony was held at Seoul City Hall, with Lee Jeong-yeol, chairman of the Hy Social Welfare Foundation, and Jo Yeong-chang, director of the city's Public Health Bureau, among those in attendance.

The "Donating Staircase," completed in 2014, is the first health staircase operated by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. The participatory social contribution project links stair use to charitable giving. As of August, cumulative users have surpassed 20 million.

Hy sets aside a fixed amount per user to build a donation fund, which is used to deliver health beverages to vulnerable populations. Cumulative donations through 2025 total about 148 million won ($107,000). The Seoul Metropolitan Government handles the staircase's operation and maintenance, as well as the selection of donation recipients.

"Anyone can participate in giving through the simple act of climbing stairs," said Kim Geun-hyeon, head of Hy's Customer-Centered Team. "We hope this becomes an opportunity for more citizens to take part in sharing as part of their daily lives."


andy@heraldcorp.com