Nexon commits charity donations to support children with disabilities

Gaming outlet Nexon has pledged 55 billion won ($42 million) in charitable donations for the rehabilitation of children with disabilities by building specialized treatment centers across the region over the coming decade.

Purme Foundation Nexon Children’s hospital in Mapo District, western Seoul, is the country’s first rehabilitation center for children and opened in April 2016. Nexon donated 20 billion won ($15 million) out of the 44 billion won needed to establish the hospital. [PURME FOUNDATION]

Gaming outlet Nexon has focused its charitable donations on the rehabilitation of children with disabilities by building specialized treatment centers over the coming decade.

So far it has pledged 55 billion won ($42 million), a focus in line with deceased Nexon founder Kim Jung-ju's wish to lend support for sick children given that Korea severely lacks such treatment centers. Still, there are currently 300,000 young patients in need of rehabilitation treatment, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.

To resolve the problem, Nexon contributed to the establishment of Korea's first-ever rehabilitation center for children, which was built in Mapo District, western Seoul. The company donated 20 billion won out of the 44 billion won needed for construction after forming a memorandum of understanding with the Purme Foundation.

The foundation named the center “Purme Foundation Nexon Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital,” using the company’s name as a thanks for the donation. The 18,557-square-meter (199,745-square-feet) center opened in April 2016. Nexon regularly funds the hospital’s various programs and facilities.

Nexon's influence has also spread to other regions in need of such facilities. The company donated 10 billion won in February 2019 to build a 15,789-square-meter public rehabilitation facility for children in Daejeon. The center opened in May this year.

"There was demand from parents with disabled children for such public facilities from other regions because they [the centers] were centralized around the capital area," said Nexon spokesperson. "Treatment fees from public institutions are more affordable compared to private ones."

Nexon donated 10 billion won to build a respite center in central Seoul with the Seoul National University Hospital in October 2020. The center will open its doors in October 2023. [NEXON]

In widening the range of support, Nexon offered 10 billion won for the building of a respite center for children in Seoul.

Respite centers operate for 24 hours a day to care for child patients to lessen the child care burden for the patients' families. The facility, located in Jung District, central Seoul, will open in October this year and will have the capacity to annually treat 1,050 children.

Nexon continued to provide funds to aid the establishment of public medical facilities that are needed in regions outside of Seoul.

The most recent contribution made by Nexon was in July 2023 when it donated 5 billion won to Mokpo Joongang Hospital in South Jeolla to build the first public rehabilitation center for children in the province. The 1,731-square-meter center is expected to complete construction within this year and open in 2024.

The game publisher donated another 10 billion won in November 2021 to build a 7,888-square-meter public treatment facility for children after forming an MOU with Gyeongsang National University Changwon Hospital. The center, scheduled to complete construction this year, is expected to host up to 12,000 children in South Gyoengsang. It will open its doors next year.

In total, Nexon has helped establish five facilities for children in need of physical therapy nationwide — two in Seoul, one in Daejeon and two others in Mokpo and Changwon — and continues to reach out to medical sectors in need of improvement.

“Nexon and Nexon Foundation sincerely hope that children in all regions nationwide can receive high-quality therapy without discrimination,” said Nexon Foundation Chairman Kim Jung-wook in a statement. “We will continue to aid medical therapy for children so that they can grow to become healthy members of our society.”

BY LEE JAE-LIM [lee.jaelim@joongang.co.kr]