KGCCI Hosts Record-Breaking Harmony Marathon with Over 700 Participants

- Record Participation in Walking Volunteer Event with the Visually Impaired
- Donation of Goods by KGCCI, Bayer, Henkel, TUV SUD, and Others

Employees and executives of KGCCI and its member companies participated in the "11th Harmony Marathon with the Visually Impaired," co-hosted by the German Chamber of Commerce in Korea, on the 7th at World Cup Park in Sangam-dong, Seoul, and are taking a commemorative photo. (Photo by KGCCI)

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI), led by President Marie Antonia von Schoenburg, announced on September 8 that it had participated in a social contribution activity with the visually impaired on an unprecedented scale. On September 7, KGCCI co-hosted the "11th Harmony Marathon with the Visually Impaired" at World Cup Park in Sangam-dong, Seoul, where more than 700 employees and family members from member companies took part as guide walkers for the visually impaired.

Marie Antonia von Schoenburg, President of KGCCI, stated that this event provided an opportunity for Korean and German companies to put the values of inclusion and solidarity into practice. This project, which began in 2023 to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Germany, has seen its participation grow each year, reaching over 700 participants for the first time this year.

Joern Beisert, Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Korea, also delivered congratulatory remarks, saying, "It is inspiring to see the Korean-German community come together on such a large scale," and described the event as "a demonstration of our shared values of social responsibility and inclusion." He added, "Walking together provided an opportunity to learn from each other, and each step taken was a step toward a more inclusive future."

The event was attended by key business leaders, including Jung Hajung, Vice President of KGCCI and CEO of Siemens Korea; Kim Youngmi, CEO of Henkel Korea; Lee Jisook, CEO of Bayer CropScience Korea; Choi Taeyeon, CEO of Amacell Korea; David Jones, Country Chair of RWE Renewables Korea; Lee Kyungjae, CEO of Merck Korea; Lee Wooseok, CEO of BASF Korea; and Sung Inmo, Executive Director of TUV SUD Korea, along with other KGCCI board members. In addition, National Assembly member Kim Yeji; Choi Sooyoung, singer and actress from Girls' Generation and ambassador for the Harmony Marathon; former national soccer player Park Jooho and his family; TV personalities Kim Hyesun and Stefan Han, a Korean-German couple; and Eva Popiel, among other celebrities, participated, adding further significance to the event.

KGCCI donated 200 white canes for the visually impaired. Marie Antonia von Schoenburg, KGCCI Representative (left), Jo Hyungseok, President of the Seoul Blind Sports Federation (Photo by KGCCI)

KGCCI donated over 200 white canes for the visually impaired, while Henkel Korea and TUV SUD provided souvenirs for participants. Henkel Korea also held an exhibition of household products with Braille tags to help visually impaired individuals easily distinguish between products, and operated a "Braille Bookmark Making" experience program. Bayer Korea hosted a tasting event for its multivitamin "Berocca," and Merck Korea ran a booth offering a company history quiz and information on infertility.

Additionally, together with the Embassy of Germany in Korea, KGCCI and its member companies-including Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI), Robert Bosch Korea, Bayer Korea, Yulchon LLC, Brita Korea, Amacell Korea, Aumobio (formerly Continental), Goethe-Institut Korea, Crown Worldwide, TK Elevator Korea, Merck Korea, BASF Korea, Boehringer Ingelheim Korea, Siemens Korea, Trumpf Korea, Henkel Korea, EEW Korea, LBBW, RWE Renewables Korea, TUV NORD, and TUV SUD-participated, totaling around 30 companies and organizations. All participation fees will be donated in full to support mobility rights for the visually impaired and to fund research for blindness prevention.

Park Hyunnam, Chairman of KGCCI and Country Representative of Deutsche Bank Group Korea, stated, "With a record number of participants this year, the Harmony Marathon has become, for the third consecutive year, a leading platform for Korean and German companies to put the values of inclusion and solidarity into practice." He emphasized, "KGCCI will continue to fulfill its social responsibilities and open paths for even more people to join us."

Jo Hyungseok, President of the Seoul Blind Sports Federation, also expressed his gratitude, saying, "I would like to thank KGCCI, its member companies, and the volunteers who made the successful hosting of this event possible," and added, "I hope this will continue to develop into a meaningful event where people with and without visual impairments can participate together."

This year's event was hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Sports Association for the Disabled and co-organized by the Seoul Blind Sports Federation, the Korea Blind Union Seoul Branch, the Korean Foundation for the Prevention of Blindness, and KGCCI. Employees and executives of KGCCI and its member companies participated in the 5km walk, completing the course alongside visually impaired participants and demonstrating the value of solidarity.

Beyond this event, KGCCI has carried out a variety of activities to promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). In 2023, to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Germany, over 280 employees from member companies served as guide walkers for the visually impaired, and last year, more than 450 people participated, receiving an enthusiastic response. In April of this year, KGCCI signed a business agreement with the Korea Blind Union Seoul Branch as part of a joint social contribution project for the visually impaired, and recently entered into an agreement with the Sungjoo Foundation to operate the KGCCI women's mentoring program "Women in koRea (WIR)." Since 2014, KGCCI has published an annual CSR report highlighting social contribution cases of German companies operating in Korea.