Samsung Group donates W3b for flood relief

Samsung's flood recovery special service team has since Friday operated mobile service centers in areas affected by the recent torrential rains to provide free inspection services, including cleaning of flooded home appliances and mobile phones. (Samsung Group)

Samsung Group said Monday it has donated 3 billion won ($2.16 million) in emergency relief funds to support recovery efforts and assist residents affected by the recent torrential rains that swept across South Korea.

After severe flooding inflicted damage in multiple regions nationwide, a total of eight Samsung affiliates — Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI, Samsung Electro-Mechanics, Samsung SDS, Samsung Life Insurance, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance and Samsung C&T — joined the relief initiative.

In addition to the financial aid, Samsung is also rolling out comprehensive on-the-ground support for flood victims. The conglomerate said it will provide 1,000 emergency relief kits and 300 mobile shelters — tent-style temporary housing units — through the Korean Red Cross.

The emergency kits will include daily necessities such as blankets, sportswear, towels and toiletries, aimed at easing the burden on displaced individuals and families.

Samsung Card is extending tailored financial relief to its customers impacted by the floods. The company plans to defer credit card payments made between July and September by up to six months. Customers will also be allowed to pay their outstanding balances in interest-free installments over the same period.

Further support measures include up to a 30 percent reduction in interest on card loans for affected customers, as well as maturity extensions for long-term card loans due in September.

It is not the first time Samsung has stepped in to assist disaster-hit regions this year. In March, the group donated 3 billion won and an additional 1 billion won worth of home appliances following the massive wildfires in the Gyeongsang provinces. The conglomerate also offered free appliance inspections and distributed emergency kits to those affected.

“Samsung remains committed to standing by the people of Korea during times of crisis,” a Samsung Group official said. “We hope our support will help communities recover quickly and return to normalcy.”

According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters on Monday, heavy rainfall has resulted in 18 confirmed deaths and 9 people reported missing as of 9 p.m. on Sunday.

A total of 14,166 individuals from 9,887 households have been evacuated to temporary shelters. Damage to infrastructure has also surged, with over 4,000 cases reported across both public and private facilities.