Officials pose for a photo at the third-year handover ceremony for the South Chungcheong Province Youth Independence Support Project. From left: Seong Nak-gu, chairman of the South Chungcheong Province Saemaul Association; Kim Sang-jun, CEO of Aekyung Industrial; South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun; Yoo Byeong-seol, secretary general of the Community Chest of Korea's South Chungcheong chapter; and Jang Ji-young, head of the Bodum Nanum volunteer group. [Aekyung Industrial]
Officials pose for a photo at the third-year handover ceremony for the South Chungcheong Province Youth Independence Support Project. From left: Seong Nak-gu, chairman of the South Chungcheong Province Saemaul Association; Kim Sang-jun, CEO of Aekyung Industrial; South Chungcheong Province Governor Park Soo-hyun; Yoo Byeong-seol, secretary general of the Community Chest of Korea's South Chungcheong chapter; and Jang Ji-young, head of the Bodum Nanum volunteer group. [Aekyung Industrial]

Aekyung Industrial announced Wednesday that it held the third-year handover ceremony for the South Chungcheong Province Youth Independence Support Project at the provincial government office, donating 100 million won ($74,900) to improve the residential environments and build a lifestyle foundation for young people aging out of the foster care system.

This year's project targets 100 such youth in South Chungcheong Province, providing them with a "fresh start kit" comprising residential improvements and daily essentials. About 42 million won will go toward housing upgrades — including wallpaper and flooring replacement and repairs to aging fixtures — with the scope of work determined through demand surveys and on-site assessments carried out in partnership with local saemaul organizations and specialist volunteers. The remaining roughly 58 million won funds the fresh start kits themselves, which include kitchen items such as microwaves, frying pans and tableware; household goods including airtight containers, low tables and electric kettles; and safety supplies such as power strips, first-aid kits and multipurpose tool sets.

Aekyung Industrial has provided phased support since 2024, now in its third consecutive year. In the first year, 200 youth in South Chungcheong Province each received a "first home" package worth about 500,000 won to help them set up their initial households. In the second year, 100 participants were offered emotional support and cultural experiences, including a healing camp and an overseas study trip.

The project is funded through Aekyung Industrial's designated donation and administered by the Community Chest of Korea's South Chungcheong chapter. South Chungcheong Province handles administrative coordination and the handover ceremony. The South Chungcheong Province Saemaul Association oversees residential improvements, the Bodum Nanum volunteer group manages kit planning, production and delivery, and the South Chungcheong Youth Independence Support Agency handles participant referrals, guidance and case management.

"We will continue to expand our corporate social responsibility activities to provide meaningful, practical support so that young people can achieve greater stability as they build independent lives," said Kim Sang-jun, CEO of Aekyung Industrial.


andy@heraldcorp.com