[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Samsung Electronics is making continuous efforts to support youths from child care facilities, group homes, and foster care who turn 18 and must stand on their own, leaving the protection of the state.
On the 15th, Sung Adulthoe, President of Samsung Social Contribution, along with representatives from five local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the Community Chest of Korea signed a business agreement for the second phase of the Samsung Hope Didimdol project. Samsung Hope Didimdol is a self-reliance support program for youths aging out of protection at 18 and entering society.
The program began in 2013 with donations from Samsung Electronics employees to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s New Management Declaration. From 2014 to 2021, Samsung Electronics invested 24.1 billion KRW to carry out the first phase of the project, establishing Samsung Hope Didimdol Centers in five regions including Busan, Daegu, and Wonju. From this year through 2024, the company plans to invest 25 billion KRW to build additional centers in five nationwide regions: Gyeonggi-do, Gyeongsangnam-do, Jeollanam-do, Jeollabuk-do, and Chungcheongnam-do as part of the second phase.
The Samsung Hope Didimdol Centers provide youths aged 18 to 25 who have aged out of protection with private single-room housing for up to two years to support independent living. The centers also offer education for self-reliance, covering essential daily life skills such as cooking, cleaning, and organizing, as well as basic financial knowledge, asset management, and fundamental economic education including lease contracts.
In particular, the centers provide employment information, career counseling, and internship opportunities, while university students receive support for living expenses and scholarships. To alleviate the emotional burden of entering society alone, professional counseling is also provided. Kim Ga-young, Director of the Gangwon-do Child Protection Youth Self-Reliance Support Center, shared, "When youths first visit the center, they often have great fear about living independently alone, but seeing them gain confidence through stable housing and education and successfully enter society brings me great fulfillment."
President Sung said, "We will work closely with local governments, implementing NGOs, and the Community Chest of Korea to ensure that Samsung Hope Didimdol becomes a strong stepping stone for youths aging out of protection to enter society."
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