KT&G Plants 6,000 Trees in Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk to Aid Wildfire Recovery

Planting Korean Nutmeg Trees and Melliferous Trees
KT&G Plans to Create a 2ha Imagination Forest
Funds Raised Through Employee Donations and Company Matching Grants

KT&G announced on the 8th that it has embarked on creating the 'KT&G Sangsaeng Forest' to restore the forests and recover the ecosystem in Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do, which were damaged by the 2022 wildfires.

KT&G employee volunteer groups visited the Sangsaeng Forest the day before and participated in tree planting volunteer activities along with officials from Uljin-gun and the Korea Rural Community Corporation. They plan to create a 2-hectare (approximately 6,000 pyeong) Sangsaeng Forest by planting 6,000 trees, including the endangered Korean fir and nectar-producing trees, in a communal forest near the coastal ecological trail in Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun, where a large wildfire occurred.

KT&G employees volunteer group is planting trees near the coastal ecological trail in Buk-myeon, Uljin-gun, Gyeongbuk to create the "Sangsang Forest" and taking a commemorative photo. Photo by KT&G

The costs for creating the Sangsaeng Forest were fully covered by the 'Sangsang Fund,' which is raised through voluntary donations from KT&G employees. The Sangsang Fund is KT&G's social contribution fund launched in 2011. Employees voluntarily donate a certain amount from their monthly salary, and the company matches the same amount in a matching grant format.

Shim Young-ah, Head of KT&G's ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) Management Office, said, "KT&G has previously created Sangsaeng Forests in Daegwallyeong, Gangwon-do, and Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do," adding, "We hope this Sangsaeng Forest creation activity will contribute to the restoration of the forests damaged by wildfires in Uljin-gun and the enhancement of biodiversity."