Only public enterprise to receive the honor

Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation President Choi In-ho receives a presidential commendation at the Grand Korea Sharing Awards ceremony. [Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation]
Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation President Choi In-ho receives a presidential commendation at the Grand Korea Sharing Awards ceremony. [Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation]

The Korea Housing and Urban Guarantee Corporation, known as HUG, announced Friday that it received a presidential commendation at the 15th Grand Korea Sharing Awards — the country's most prestigious social contribution honor — held Thursday at KBS Hall in Yeouido. HUG was the only public enterprise to receive the award at the 2026 ceremony.

The Grand Korea Sharing Awards are co-hosted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, KBS and the Community Chest of Korea, and are presented to individuals and organizations that have sustained meaningful philanthropic activities to promote a culture of sharing.

Drawing on its expertise as a housing and urban finance public enterprise, HUG has carried out a wide range of social contribution projects, including improving the residential environment for vulnerable groups, enhancing community welfare and supporting the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and venture businesses. The corporation also conducts various social contribution activities in residential welfare, urban regeneration and community giving, centered on Busan, where its headquarters is located.

Since 2007, HUG has contributed 7.6 billion won ($5.66 million) to a housing renovation program for aging homes and provided about 8.9 billion won in rental funds to 1,544 low-income households without homes of their own, helping ease the financial burden on housing-vulnerable families and close gaps in residential welfare coverage.

After relocating to Busan, HUG supported the remodeling of 47 aging public facilities to improve community welfare and pursued initiatives in pediatric emergency care and local talent development, working to upgrade the living environment and welfare services available to local residents.

This year, HUG partnered with Busan Bank to establish a 20 billion won regional cooperation fund and is offering preferential loan rates to local small and medium-sized enterprises at 1.70 percentage points below standard rates.

HUG's employee volunteer group, Aurumi Social Service Corps, regularly carries out hands-on volunteer work — renovating aging homes for vulnerable residents and delivering care packages of daily necessities. Every year on the corporation's founding anniversary, management and labor join together to volunteer at free meal centers serving homeless people and residents of low-income lodging houses.

HUG President Choi In-ho said the award was "thanks to everyone who joined their hearts together for struggling neighbors in our community," adding that the corporation would "continue to be a reliable support for the public, attentively looking after those in need and contributing further to a culture of sharing through sustained social contribution activities for mutual cooperation and regional development."


hss@heraldcorp.com