Companies step up to aid wildfire recovery in Uiseong
As a wildfire in Uiseong-gun, North Gyeongsang Province, continues for the fifth consecutive day, major financial groups and companies have stepped up to provide relief and recovery support, according to industry sources on Tuesday.
Korea's top four financial groups -- KB, Shinhan, Hana and Woori -- have committed to aiding the recovery efforts in wildfire-stricken areas.
KB Financial Group has donated 1 billion won ($680,000) to support emergency relief, disaster recovery and securing daily necessities and housing for evacuees.
Shinhan Financial Group has also allocated 1 billion won to support wildfire victims, including those injured or killed during firefighting efforts.
Woori Financial Group has donated 1 billion won to the Korean Red Cross through the Community Chest of Korea. Similarly, Hana Financial Group has contributed 1 billion won to the same organization, providing emergency relief supplies.
Dunamu, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, has also donated 1 billion won to the Korean Red Cross to assist the affected communities.
Korean shipbuilding conglomerate HD Hyundai plans to provide 1 billion won in relief funds and emergency supplies to support residents in Uiseong-gun, Uljin-gun, and Sancheong-gun -- some of the most severely impacted areas.
As of 4 p.m. on Tuesday, about 33,000 users had donated a total of 221 million won through Naver's online donation platform Happybean.
Kakao's donation platform, KakaoTogether, has raised about 170 million won from users for wildfire relief. Additionally, Kakao has contributed around 29 million won through engagement-based donations, where the company donates 1,000 won for every comment users leave in support of wildfire victims.
Shinsegae Group has also pledged 500 million won to support wildfire recovery efforts. Shinsegae affiliates, including E-Mart, have provided essential supplies, hygiene products and clothing through local governments and relief organizations.
Top instant noodle maker Nongshim has distributed 3,000 emergency food packs consisting of instant noodles and bottled water to wildfire-stricken areas in the Gyeongsang provinces. Another food giant, Ottogi, has provided 10,000 ready-to-eat food products, including cup noodles and instant rice.
Kyochon F&B, the firm behind South Korea's biggest fried chicken franchise Kyochon Chicken, has committed to donating 100 million won in the form of fried chicken and financial aid to support recovery efforts in the affected regions.
Since Friday, wildfires have erupted across multiple regions in Korea, with large-scale blazes in Uiseong-gun, Sancheong-gun and Uljin-gun causing widespread destruction.
According to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters, the total wildfire-affected area spans nearly 14,694 hectares, equivalent to one-quarter of the area of Seoul. It also caused 15 casualties, including four fatalities, and left more than 3,300 people displaced.
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