"Helping Multicultural Families and Raising Awareness" Kia Unveils New Social Contribution Initiative

Kia announced on the 14th that it will launch a new social contribution project called "Harmonium." The name is a compound of the English word "harmony," meaning balance, and the Korean word "umteuda," meaning to sprout, symbolizing a society where future generations from diverse cultural backgrounds grow and develop harmoniously.

The company assessed that although the number of foreign residents and multicultural families has increased, the level of social acceptance of multicultural families as members of society remains low. It also viewed policy and private sector support for multicultural families as insufficient. The Harmonium project is divided into two main areas: supporting the independence of multicultural youth and improving social awareness of multicultural families.

The project focuses on strengthening employment and entrepreneurship capabilities so that multicultural youth can proactively plan and achieve their career goals. It was considered that existing programs were ineffective as they mainly provided non-experiential support such as language and cultural education or aptitude tests. The project will operate various specialized training programs and educational curricula that assist in career planning, supported by professional instructors. A corporate internship program will also be offered, targeting 50 participants annually starting from January next year.

To improve social perceptions of multicultural families, events including a talk concert, outdoor music festival, and flea market will be held on the 26th at Nodeul Island in Seoul. Multicultural family members and the general public are free to participate. During the event, a roundtable discussion will be held with organizations related to multicultural youth support to discuss independence support projects.

Song Ho-sung, President of Kia, said, "We will promote not only support for multicultural youth but also the improvement of social awareness toward multicultural families. By collaborating with various stakeholders, we aim to bring about positive change and create a healthier society."