Shinhan University Practices ESG-Based Social Responsibility After Uzbek International Student Traffic Accident

From Repatriation of the Deceased to Family Care
Responding with a Sense of University Community Responsibility

Shinhan University (President Kang Sungjong) has drawn attention for its dedicated efforts in managing the aftermath of a traffic accident involving Uzbek international students, as well as protecting the students, by putting into practice the university's social responsibility based on ESG values.

President Kang Sungjong (left) and Hospital Director Lee Taegyu. Provided by Shinhan University

On November 6 of last year, around noon, a vehicle carrying four Uzbek international students crashed into a utility pole in Yongmi-ri, Gwangtan-myeon, Paju, Gyeonggi Province, resulting in one fatality and three students sustaining serious to moderate injuries. Immediately after the accident, Shinhan University went beyond providing basic administrative support and took proactive measures as a responsible member of society to protect international students as part of the university community.

The university worked closely with the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Korea to support the repatriation of the deceased student's remains, and requested urgent cooperation from the Korean Embassy in Uzbekistan to ensure that the parents of the injured students could enter Korea promptly, systematically assisting with visa issuance and entry procedures. These actions were taken to guarantee the fundamental human rights and rights to care for international students and their families in a crisis situation.

In particular, Shinhan University facilitated communication throughout the treatment process by leveraging Uzbek staff members to help bridge language and cultural barriers between parents and medical staff. University representatives frequently visited the hospital to check on the students' conditions and held ongoing consultations with hospital staff, effectively fulfilling the role of guardians and putting the university's sense of community responsibility into practice.

The university also took charge of complex administrative procedures such as insurance claims and hospital bill settlements, and provided essential daily necessities to both hospitalized and discharged students, offering meticulous support for their recovery. This case is regarded as an example of how the core ESG values of protecting and caring for the socially vulnerable can be realized in practice, going beyond the traditional role of an educational institution.

President Kang Sungjong (left) and Uzbek student parents. Courtesy of Shinhan University

In addition, President Kang Sungjong and all faculty and staff at Shinhan University voluntarily organized a fundraising campaign, raising a total of 18.5 million won. The donations were delivered on January 5 to the parents of the students currently undergoing treatment, further highlighting the symbolic significance of the university community's voluntary solidarity and sense of responsibility.

Uijeongbu St. Mary's Hospital, which is providing treatment, also expressed its strong commitment to support the students as part of its social contribution and university-industry cooperation efforts. Hospital Director Lee Taegyu stated, "We will spare no effort at the hospital level to ensure the patients' treatment and recovery," emphasizing the social responsibility of public medical institutions.

Kang Sungjong, President of Shinhan University, remarked, "This accident has once again reminded us that universities must treat international students not merely as recipients of education, but as community members who deserve protection," adding, "Going forward, Shinhan University will continue to strengthen its systems for the safety, welfare, and crisis response of international students based on ESG values."

Taking this incident as an opportunity, Shinhan University plans to comprehensively review its safety management and crisis response processes for international students, and to expand ESG management and the practice of social responsibility throughout all aspects of university education and administration.