[Harumanbo Harucheonja] One Month 150,000 Steps Earn Coffee Coupon... What About 300,000 Steps?

The Korea Health Management Association (Chairman Kim In-won) is responsible for health checkups, health promotion, and free health screenings. It is well known under the brand name ‘MEDI CHECK.’ As the association’s name includes ‘health management,’ one of its representative campaigns is walking. The association actively collaborates with the public, institutions, and local governments, and its executives and staff are also very engaged.

During the month of June, the ‘Workers, Walk on Challenge’ for workers, held in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Welfare, involves about 300 participants from 25 companies nationwide. The challenge aims to encourage walking 10,000 steps daily for health promotion. To motivate participants, the association gifts e-coupons for achieving 150,000 steps (coffee coupon) and 300,000 steps (sandwich coupon) during the challenge period. Participants who post their walking proof on the app’s bulletin board are entered into a draw to win prizes. The company with the highest walking participation also receives a health support fund.

From October 20 to November 19 last year, the association conducted the ‘All Staff, Walk On’ challenge for its employees. This program rewards incentives upon reaching target step counts, with 1,823 employees participating. Individuals who achieved 150,000 or 300,000 steps over 31 days received incentives. Additionally, the headquarters and branches with the highest participation rate relative to staff numbers were awarded the “Most Participating Branch,” and the branch with the highest 300,000-step achievements was named the “Most Achieving Branch,” both receiving health support funds. To promote employee health, the association runs various programs including △ New Year health planning events △ brainwave and pulse wave stress measurements for all employees △ mental health assessments and high-risk group management for volunteers △ installation of VR (virtual reality) mental health healing equipment at all branches △ and Digital Healthcare Day.

Employees of the Korea Health Management Association are taking a commemorative photo after completing the walking challenge awards.
[Photo by Korea Health Management Association]

Earlier, from April 17 for one month, the association partnered with the Miss Korea Nokwonhoe to run the ‘Walk! Donate! Get Healthy!’ challenge, donating 10 million KRW upon reaching 100 million steps. This challenge combines walking and sharing to simultaneously promote ‘health’ and ‘donation.’ Four hundred participants, including Nokwonhoe members composed of Miss Korea winners and willing Korea Health Management Association employees, took part. Under a business agreement with Nokwonhoe, the association provides health promotion services to Nokwonhoe members and their families and jointly participates in social contribution activities to realize social value.

The headquarters and regional branches also conduct campaigns. The Busan East Health Screening Center operated a health experience booth on April 15 for citizens participating in the Oryundae Walking Festival to raise awareness of the importance of health checkups. The Jeonbuk branch collected trash along the Moaksan mountain hiking trail on March 22 and around the Jeonjucheon area on April 6 while promoting walking. The Seoul West branch collaborated with KB Kookmin Bank, Gangseo District Office Welfare Resource Team, and the Seoul Parents of Disabled Persons Gangseo Branch to deliver sponsorship funds for the ‘Donating Health Stairs’ project. This project counts the number of stair users and donates funds corresponding to the number of users.

Seven Korea Health Management Association branches (Seoul West, Seoul Gangnam, Gangwon, Daejeon, Jeonju, Gyeongbuk, and Gyeongnam branches) conducted an environmental campaign from August 11 to 19 last year targeting eight rivers and ponds nationwide. A total of 468 participants took part in an event where EM mud balls, which remove odors and toxins, were released into the waterways. Participants included association employees, a mothers’ volunteer group, local officials and staff from related organizations, nearby high school students, and daycare children, representing a wide range of community members. The approximately 2,800 EM mud balls released during the campaign will decompose over about six months, purifying water over an area of approximately 9,000 square meters. Activities such as ‘Encouraging the use of natural loofahs’ and ‘Plogging environmental cleanup’ were also conducted.

Employees of the Korea Health Management Association and local residents are throwing EM mud balls to purify the river water.
[Photo by Korea Health Management Association]

The association was recognized for its various long-running programs promoting employee health and was certified as a sports-friendly public institution in the ‘2022 Sports-Friendly Company Pilot Project’ organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation last year.

Kim In-won, Chairman of the Korea Health Management Association, stated, “For adults, walking briskly for at least 150 minutes a week is very important for health promotion. Sports activities are one way to relieve stress and manage one’s own health.” He added, “We will do our best to create and expand a workplace culture and environment that takes responsibility for employees’ health promotion through sports.”