[One Day 10,000 Steps One Day 1,000 Characters] Picking Up Trash While Walking 6.8 km on Uiryeong-gil... KCC's 'Ecogging'

Advanced materials company KCC (CEO Jeong Jae-hoon) has been continuously making efforts to create and preserve forests every year through its ‘To the Forest, To the Future’ campaign. By April 2023, it planted 2,000 trees in Goseong-gun, Gangwon Province, carrying out forest preservation projects to help forests damaged by fires and typhoons return to lush woodlands.

The ‘To the Forest, To the Future’ campaign is closely related to KCC’s eco-friendly water-based paint ‘Sop-euro.’ ‘Sop-euro’ significantly reduces volatile organic compounds (VOCs), contains no four major heavy metals, and has almost no odor, making it an environmentally friendly product certified by the Ministry of Environment’s eco-label. The campaign naturally connects the company’s flagship eco-friendly product name with its commitment to nurturing a future where climate and environment are prioritized. In particular, KCC is actively leading ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) management by focusing on developing eco-friendly products and researching related technologies to reduce carbon emissions.

As part of the ‘To the Forest, To the Future’ campaign, KCC has been promoting ‘ecogging’ (a portmanteau of ecology and jogging) since this year. Ecogging means jogging in the mountains or outdoors while cleaning up trash, allowing participants to take care of both their health and the environment simultaneously. The name ‘ecogging’ was created through an event held on KCC’s official social media on the 14th, inviting customers to name the environmental campaign conducted at Bukhansan Mountain, with many customers participating.

Employees of KCC and local residents participating in the Ecogging campaign on October 14 [Photo by KCC]

The event was jointly hosted by KCC and the Future Environment Association, attended by Yuchan-seon, president of the Future Environment Association; announcer and ambassador Yoo Young-mi; Lim Joo-wan, president of the Model Association; as well as KCC executives, local residents, and related personnel totaling about 50 people. Participants carried out an environmental campaign to clean up flammable trash and various pollutants around the Uiryeong Trail in Bukhansan, which can easily cause forest fires. This event was especially organized to inform young students, parents, and participants of the Forest Love Environmental Campaign about the beauty of Bukhansan National Park and the importance of forests, encouraging forest protection activities. Participants started from the Ui Exploration Support Center and walked the entire 6.8 km of the Uiryeong Trail in Bukhansan, collecting trash and tidying up the surrounding environment.

Parent Kim Hana, who participated in the ecogging activity, said, "I am glad that this opportunity allowed my child to have a familiar experience with the importance of forests and environmental protection, and I will continue to maintain interest in the environment and practice it in daily life." She added, "Especially, the Uiryeong Trail where the campaign took place requires prior reservation to enter and is famous for its beautiful scenery. This opportunity was a joyful experience to observe the beautiful natural landscape and ecological forest of Bukhansan together."