Lotte Department Store Hosts 'History-Themed Plogging' at Gyeonghuigung Palace

Eco-friendly Goods Given Based on Trash Collection Volume
Last Year Beachcombing and City Plogging Collected 23,000ℓ

Lotte Department Store is launching an environmental cleanup activity themed around history this spring, following its previous efforts focused on the sea and urban areas.

On the 10th, Lotte Department Store announced that it will hold its first plogging event of the year in the Jongno-gu and Seodaemun-gu areas of Seoul, themed around history. From the 14th to the 16th, plogging will take place in the park of Gyeonghuigung, one of the five major palaces of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as in the Jongno and Seodaemun districts, aiming to raise public awareness about environmental protection alongside the importance of traditional Korean culture. This area has recently seen an increase in visitors, including tourists and spring outing enthusiasts, due to warmer weather, making the creation of clean streets even more necessary. A 'Re:Earth Market' booth will be set up at the entrance of Gyeonghuigung Park to lend plogging tools such as tongs and biodegradable bags to participants, who will receive various eco-friendly goods based on the amount of trash they collect. These goods include 15 items made with an environmental theme, such as bamboo toothbrushes, organic handkerchiefs, and lip balm. The lineup also features Re:Earth pouches and card wallets made by upcycling discarded exterior banners and insulated bags from Lotte Department Store.

A citizen participating in the 'City Plogging' event held by Lotte Department Store last fall is picking up trash.
[Photo by Lotte Department Store].

As part of the 'Re:EARTH Campaign,' Lotte Department Store gained attention last year by running the Re:Earth Market, which gave eco-friendly household items to participants of plogging events held in summer and autumn. In August last year, about 2,300 volunteers joined a four-day 'beachcombing' project, cleaning coastal trash and driftwood at beaches in Jeju and Yangyang-gun, Gangwon Province. The amount of collected trash reached 19,000 liters. In the autumn, the 'City Plogging' events held in downtown areas such as City Hall and Jamsil attracted around 2,000 participants who collected approximately 4,000 liters of trash, bringing the total amount of trash collected last year to about 23,000 liters. 85% of the plogging participants were in their 20s and 30s.

Through a pre-registration event held on the application (app) for ten days until the 9th, the first 200 visitors on-site will receive 'history goods.' The plogging kit includes a keyring featuring the 'Oyatkkot' (plum blossom), a symbol of the Korean Empire, made by upcycling plastic, and Gyeonghuigung-themed stickers produced in collaboration with the social brand 'Shin Ear Market,' which supports the independence of vulnerable elderly groups. During the event period, a 'Gyeonghuigung Plogging Tour' will also be held daily at 2:30 PM for pre-registered customers, where participants can enjoy a guided historical tour of Gyeonghuigung while plogging together.

Lotte Department Store plans to continue its ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) activities this year by collaborating with the Environmental Foundation to hold beachcombing events in summer and city plogging events in autumn.