Smart farm for strawberry cultivation to be built; distribution support through department store food halls and online mall also planned

[Provided by Hyundai Department Store Group]
[Provided by Hyundai Department Store Group]

Hyundai Department Store Group announced Friday that it donated 100 million won ($75,100) to a specialized workplace for people with developmental disabilities in Iksan, North Jeolla Province.

Hyundai G.F. Holdings presented the donation to the Korea Disabled People's Development Institute at the opening ceremony of the Iksan facility, as part of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' support program for people with developmental disabilities.

The funds will go toward building a smart farm for strawberry cultivation — equipped with systems to control temperature, humidity and other growing conditions — as well as constructing and operating a processing facility to produce freeze-dried strawberry chips, strawberry beverages and other food products. Beyond the financial contribution, Hyundai Department Store Group also plans to support distribution through its department store food halls and online shopping mall.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has been opening specialized workplaces in major regions across the country since 2020 to help people with developmental disabilities and their families achieve economic independence, providing entrepreneurship training and operational know-how. Hyundai Department Store Group joined the program in 2022 and has since donated 100 million won each to specialized workplaces in Gwangju (2022), Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province (2023), and Asan, South Chungcheong Province (2024). Iksan marks the fourth such contribution.

"We hope this structured entrepreneurship support model will provide meaningful, practical help toward sustainable economic independence for people with developmental disabilities," said Yun Young-sik, president of Hyundai G.F. Holdings. "We will continue to seek out socially vulnerable people in welfare blind spots who need a helping hand, and carry on with sincere corporate social responsibility activities."


andy@heraldcorp.com