KT&G Employees Support the Independence of Youth Aging Out of Welfare Facilities

Raising Funds Through Voluntary Donations 'Sangsang Fund'... Supporting Tuition and Skill Development

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Seon-ae] KT&G donated funds to the ‘Areumdaun Foundation’ on the 20th to support child welfare facilities and young adults aging out of foster care.

Youth aging out of care refers to those who have been protected in welfare facilities but whose protection ends upon reaching the age of 18, based on the Child Welfare Act. Approximately 2,500 youth aging out of care emerge each year, but many of them face difficulties in achieving stable social integration.

In response, KT&G employees raised funds through a voluntary donation program called the ‘Sangsang Fund.’ The support amount reached 150 million KRW.

The donation will be used to help youth aging out of care maintain their studies and develop self-reliance skills. Specifically, it will be used for scholarships, academic living expenses, and short-term language study support. It will also be utilized for various programs that assist youth aging out of care in establishing stable independence in society, such as club and autonomous activities, and mentor-mentee programs.

A KT&G official stated, “We gathered the hearts of our employees to help youth aging out of care enter society stably,” adding, “We will continue to maintain steady interest in supporting marginalized groups.”

Launched in 2011, KT&G’s unique social contribution fund, the ‘Sangsang Fund,’ is created by employees voluntarily donating a portion of their salary, matched by the company. It participates not only in supporting marginalized groups domestically and internationally but also in addressing urgent social issues. Additionally, to ensure voluntary and transparent fund management, the ‘Sangsang Fund Management Committee,’ composed solely of regular employees, is operated.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.