The Korea Herald reports:

KTF committed to making social contributions

KTF Co., Korea’s second largest mobile carrier, says it is fully committed to becoming a socially responsible corporation by promoting cooperation with business partners and by fulfilling a responsible social contract.

As part of “Think Korea Scholarship Program,” a volunteer group of KTF employees has been donating part of their salaries to unfortunate teenagers since 1997 to help brighten their future.

The raised money goes to 220 children who are either living without parents or living under extreme poverty. Each of the children receives 100,000 won ($110) per month. In 2005 alone, almost half of the entire KTF workforce participated in the volunteer group and raised a total of 240 million won.

KTF president and CEO Cho Young-chu has initiated various social contribution activities. This year, he participated in the events such as a manners-learning program for 30 unfortunate children in January and “Hope Camp” in which KTF executives became mentors to unfortunate children for one day in September.

“It was pleasing to share warm hearts and minds with those children and financially help them. I will continue the mentoring program until they grow up and become major participants in Korean society,” said Cho.

Serving as one of the leaders in the local IT industry, KTF is also campaigning “Bigi IT Study Room” across the nation to help students, who are marginalized from government support, with personal computers and office appliances.

The campaign aims to narrow digital gaps between students in rural and urban areas and help Korea become a world leader in the IT industry.

Since August 2003, KTF has installed 38 Bigi IT rooms worth of 400 million won.

Support for Korean

history and culture

KTF offers three different “Think Korea” programs - “Goguryeo,” “Dokdo Belongs to Korea,” and “Love towards Koreans” - to enhance the image of Korea for the outside world. Through the services, subscribers can donate 500 won per month to non-governmental organizations and civic groups that strive to better introduce Korea to the world.

Money raised by the “Think Korea Goguryeo” service fee goes to Goguryeo Research Institute which carries out historical research and awareness-raising campaigns on the Goguryeo Kingdom (918-1392).

It is also a response to the recent Chinese claim that Goguryeo was part of China, KTF says. “There is no future for people who lose their history. The movement for the accurate history of Goguryeo should be nurtured and continued through KTF’s social contribution,” said Cho.

Financial contributions made through the “Dokdo Belongs to Korea” service fee can help the online NGO group Voluntary Agency Network of Korea, also known as VANK, to help raise international awareness that the two tiny islets in the East Sea are called Dokdo and belong to Korea.

Culture is another key pillar in the KTF’s corporate givings. KTF is operating a troupe called “Goodtime Troupe,” comprised of middle and high school volunteer students who perform traditional Korean music and dance for other students livening in remote places.

The troupe also has an annual program where they select groups that excel and give them a chance to perform for Korean nationals residing overseas. This, KTF says, promotes Korean culture and identity among Koreans onshore and offshore.

KTF believes that music and the universal language can break any walls of ideologies and generations. To realize that goal the company founded a children choir in July.

KTF Children Choir consists of 50 member singers aged between 10 to 15 under the leadership of a professional music director and a conductor.

Building individual musical talent as well as visiting remote villages to perform, the choir has been performing since Sept. 23. Last Wednesday, it had the first performance at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul.

Business partnerships

KTF is to set a good example with positive partnerships in the local telecommunications industry.

In July, KTF concluded contracts with four small and medium-sized companies to cooperate on developing new products and improving service quality, which is beneficial to both KTF and its partners.

KTF said its partnerships with other smaller IT firms early this year reduced cost through mutually developing local USIM, a mobile telephony used in 3G handsets. Factoring into an estimated demand by 2008, the partnership can reduce an industrial budget of 7 billion won and save 70 billion won that would otherwise be spent on importing UISM.

“Such a partnership is the first to be established in the telecommunications industry. It is also in line with the government’s policy that underscores coexistence of conglomerates and small businesses,” said Kim gi-yeol, an official with KTF.

“KTF will financially support domestic firms if they can develop competitive technologies. They will be able to minimize risk and we can improve product quality,” said Kim.

By Kim Yoon-mi

December 26, 2006