A "Good Railway" Built Together with Passengers
Transforming Stations into Platforms for Social Value
If you have ever climbed the stairs at Suseo Station to board the Suseo High-Speed Railway (SRT), or reserved a wheelchair seat?available to non-disabled passengers 45 minutes before train departure?you have participated in a donation without even realizing it. On May 27, SRT operator SR announced that it has raised approximately 400 million won over the past six years through such customer participation-based social contribution programs.
One of the most prominent customer participation initiatives is the "SRT Love Sharing Donation Seats." SR allows non-disabled passengers to reserve two out of the three wheelchair seats on each train, provided these seats are not sold 45 minutes before departure. Five percent of the revenue from these seats is automatically allocated to a social contribution fund. Since its introduction in 2019, the cumulative fund has surpassed 280 million won as of last year.
SR has used the accumulated funds to provide vehicles for seniors with mobility difficulties. The funds have also been used to supply smart shoes for visually impaired individuals, as well as for the repair of wheelchairs and mobility aids for people with severe disabilities.
The "Health Donation Stairs" program is also in operation. For every use of the stairs by a customer, 20 won is donated, with SR and Gangnam Severance Hospital each contributing 10 won. Starting with 20 million won when the first stairs were installed in 2019, the fund grew to a total of 120 million won after the installation of a second staircase in 2023. This fund has been used through the Make-A-Wish Korea Foundation to fulfill the wishes of children with incurable diseases and to provide customized assistive devices for children with disabilities.
SR is also practicing space donation. It has provided unused spaces at Suseo Station free of charge as office space to 44 startups and venture companies. In addition, SR hosted the "SR Lucky Market," a direct trade market for agricultural and marine products, at the station square. Sixty-six local farms participated, generating total sales of 110 million won. The revenue from market space rentals was reinvested into donations of local agricultural products, creating a virtuous cycle of regional coexistence.
Through these activities, SR is recognized as a leading ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) company among public enterprises and in the railway industry. Last year, it received the highest S grade in the ESG management evaluation. It has been selected as a "Community Contribution Recognized Institution" by the Ministry of Health and Welfare for five consecutive years, and has maintained the highest "Level 5" rating for two consecutive years. In addition, SR has been recognized for its ESG practices in rural and fishing communities, earning the title of "ESG Practice Company for Rural and Fishing Villages" from the Korea Commission for Corporate Partnership for three consecutive years.
SR CEO Lee Jongguk stated, "As a public enterprise, we are constantly considering the social responsibilities that SR must fulfill," adding, "We will establish ourselves as a public company that coexists with local communities, grows together with small and medium-sized enterprises, and spreads social value based on safety and innovation."
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