"Warmth Continuing into Seol... Food Industry Reaches Out to Support Marginalized Groups"

Food Industry Extends Helping Hand to Vulnerable Groups
Early Payment to Partner Companies Continues

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Even during the Lunar New Year holiday, warmth toward those in need continues in the food industry. Cases of donation activities and early payment of funds to partner companies have also increased significantly.

On the 22nd, according to the industry, Daesang donated Cheongjeongwon Lunar New Year gift sets worth 70 million KRW to 1,400 vulnerable households in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The products will be delivered to 1,400 vulnerable households in the area through the Jongno District Office. Binggrae carried out rice-sharing activities targeting marginalized neighbors in cooperation with Yongsan Police Station, Cheonan Dongnam Police Station, and Cheonan City. A total of 1,000 bags of 10kg Cheonan rice will be sequentially delivered to 23 households of bereaved families of police officers who died in the line of duty within Yongsan Police Station’s jurisdiction, welfare facilities for intellectually disabled people under Cheonan Dongnam Police Station’s jurisdiction, and 12 locations including children’s shelters in Cheonan City.

KGC Ginseng Corporation launched the ‘Hyo (孝) Delivery’ campaign, a health-sharing project for elderly people living alone in celebration of the Lunar New Year, in collaboration with the Korean Red Cross. The funds were raised by matching the amount collected by employees 1:1 through the company’s ‘Jung Kwan Jang Fund’ and adding the amount gathered from netizens’ participation via Naver Happy Bean. The prepared funds were fully used to prepare health products and traditional Lunar New Year foods such as rice cake soup for elderly people living alone in the lower-income bracket who are in blind spots of welfare. Products such as Jung Kwan Jang red ginseng donated by KGC Ginseng Corporation were also included.

Early payment of transaction funds to alleviate the financial burden of partner companies also continued. Samyang Foods decided to pay transaction funds worth 50 billion KRW ahead of schedule to about 1,000 partner companies including raw material suppliers and OEM companies. Namyang Dairy Products also made early payments of about 15 billion KRW in transaction funds to 399 dairy farms nationwide supplying raw milk, dairy cooperatives, and about 17 OEM partner companies. Ottogi also paid subcontracting fees on average about 50 days earlier than the normal payment date. The recipients included 28 companies such as OEM companies, raw material suppliers, and packaging companies.

Relief efforts for residents affected by the large fire that broke out on the 20th, one day before the Lunar New Year holiday, in Guryong Village, Gaepo-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, are also ongoing. Asung Daiso delivered men’s and women’s underwear, socks, and mobile phone chargers to the fire-affected area of Guryong Village. These will be provided to disaster victims staying at temporary shelters.

SPC Happy Foundation also delivered a total of 4,000 items?2,000 SPC Samlip breads and 2,000 bottles of water?through the Korean Red Cross to the Guryong Village restoration site. The relief supplies will be used to support disaster victims staying at temporary shelters and relief personnel. Ediya Coffee delivered relief supplies including 2,000 Ediya Water bottles, 80 kombucha drinks, 420 boxes of snacks, and 160 boxes of Beanist stick coffee.