Construction Companies Leading 'K-Construction' Through Social Contribution Activities in Overseas Markets

▲ In March last year, employees of Samsung Engineering and children from Nongpop Village in Thailand are taking a commemorative photo in front of the 'Hope Library' built in Rayong Province, Thailand. (Provided by Samsung Engineering)

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] The Overseas Construction Association announced on the 10th the results of a survey on the social contribution activities carried out by South Korean construction companies around the world over the past year, from December 2018 to November last year. Major construction companies have been improving the quality of life for residents in their host countries by utilizing various support methods such as donating goods and providing medical services over the past year. This has been evaluated as greatly contributing to enhancing South Korea's national image.

Looking at each company, Samsung Engineering has continued its representative social contribution program, the 'Hope Library' project, which has been implemented since 2012. In March last year, Samsung Engineering built and donated a library in Nongpop Village, Rayong Province, Thailand, donating over 5,000 books and items such as desks. Then, in November, it remodeled libraries at three schools in the Long Son area of Binh Thuan, Vietnam, providing each school with over 7,000 books and equipment. Through these activities, Samsung Engineering had established a total of 21 Hope Libraries in nine countries including Iraq, Libya, and Algeria as of the end of last year.

Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction has also continued its community contribution activities by donating computer equipment to elementary, middle, and high schools near the construction site of the Binh Thuan 4 coal-fired power plant in Vietnam and providing medical treatment to about 1,000 residents in the Hai Ha area. POSCO Engineering & Construction has provided traditional Korean medicine treatment to about 1,300 residents in the Long Son area of Vietnam and has also offered various medical services including internal medicine and otolaryngology to about 1,500 residents in the Matabari area of Bangladesh.

SK Engineering & Construction has been supporting the costs of surgeries such as bone surgery (Mongolia), rheumatic heart disease surgery (Kenya), and osteogenesis imperfecta surgery (Philippines) with funds raised through the 'Hope Comment Campaign' conducted via the company intranet. The Hope Comment Campaign is a donation program where employees post comments on stories posted on the company bulletin board, and the company donates 1,000 won per comment to the story's subject.

Jung Jin-haeng, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Construction (fourth from the right in the front row), and Han Byung-do, Special Diplomatic Advisor for Iraq (fourth from the left in the front row), are taking a commemorative photo with children from Iraq, their guardians, and national broadcasting reporters. (Provided by Hyundai Motor Group)

Hyundai Engineering & Construction invited children with difficult-to-treat conditions due to poor medical conditions in Iraq to Korea in October last year for detailed examinations and surgical support. In addition, Hyundai Engineering & Construction has been dispatching overseas volunteer teams focused on technical exchange, leveraging the characteristics of the construction industry. Last year, they worked on activities such as school facility renovations and village infrastructure support in Myanmar, Indonesia, and Bangladesh.

Hanwha Engineering & Construction, currently engaged in the Bismayah New City development project in Iraq, provided opportunities for visits by students from Karbala University of Technology and staff from the Iraq Engineers Association.

An official from the Overseas Construction Association said, "The social contribution activities of overseas construction companies not only drive the 'sustainable' growth of the industry but also greatly contribute to enhancing South Korea's national image," adding, "Our overseas construction companies plan to continuously carry out community contribution and technical education support activities in their host countries."

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