Korea Inc., celebrities rush to provide disaster relief for rain-hit regions

Korean firms and celebrities have banded together to provide donations to regions impacted by the country’s recent deadly downpours. KB Financial Group will donate 1 billion won ($790,000) to civil relief agency, the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster...

Employees of the Korean Red Cross on Monday pack disaster relief kits to deliver to the regions impacted by the recent deadly downpours. [NEWS1]

Korean firms and celebrities have banded together to provide donations to regions impacted by the country’s recent deadly downpours.

KB Financial Group will donate 1 billion won ($790,000) to civil relief agency, the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association, the financial firm announced Sunday. The relief fund will be used to restore infrastructure, purchase relief packages, provide shelter and support farmers.

In addition, KB Financial Group will send tents, food trucks and relief aid kits consisting of blankets, personal hygiene items and medicines. It will also run a fundraising campaign on the mobile apps of its subsidiaries from Thursday to encourage customers to contribute funds.

Hana Financial Group announced Sunday that it will donate 1 billion won voluntarily collected from 14 subsidiaries for restoration work and the flood victims. A total of 1,111 packs of water, medicines and necessities will be delivered too.

Shinhan Financial Group plans to contribute 500 million won in donations and send relief materials previously stockpiled last year in preparation for natural disasters.

Over 900 kits, which include daily necessities and medicines, have been sent to the flood-ridden Chungcheong region, with additional kits to be sent to other regions, according to the financial firm.

Woori Financial Group will donate 500 million won of contributions on top of its ongoing disaster relief activity which delivered 1,000 kits of blankets, clothes and daily necessities. Food trucks arranged by the company are providing meals to evacuated residents and relief personnel at Goesan County in North Chungcheong.

Such relief activities will run in tandem with other financial support programs provided by the firms, including special loans with low-interest rates and extended maturity dates for existing loans. Insurance and card subsidiaries will offer grace periods for insurance and card payments.

Further members of Korea Inc. are also lending a helping hand in the recovery.

Doosan announced Monday that it will donate 500 million won to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association. On Sunday, HD Hyundai Heavy HD Hyundai Heavy Industries said its charity body, the HD Hyundai 1% Nanum Foundation, will donate 500 million won to the disaster relief agency.

HD Hyundai Construction Equipment and HD Hyundai Infracore will dispatch 10 excavators each along with the relevant operating workforce.

Lotte Corporation’s retail subsidiaries will send 4,000 servings of water, cups of ramyeon and snacks to evacuees in North Chungcheong, North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla.

SPC will donate 10,000 SPC Samlip bread and water products through the Korean Red Cross.

In terms of celebrity support, trot singer Lim Young-woong donated 100 million won under the name of his fan club, “Hero Generation”, to the Community Chest of Korea and his agency Mulgogi Music donated another 100 million won, the charity foundation announced Monday.

Actor Kim Hye-soo, alongside singers PSY and Lee Chan-won have donated 100 million won apiece to the Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association. Actors Kim Woo-bin and Shin-Min-a also contributed 100 million won each.

Actors Han Hyo-joo and Yim Si-wan added 50 million won and 30 million won, respectively, and comedian Park Na-rae contributed 10 million won.

BY SOHN DONG-JOO [sohn.dongjoo@joongang.co.kr]