Samsung's Guide Dog Project, Launched with the Declaration of 'New Management,' Becomes Their Light (Comprehensive)

Visit to Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School on the 20th
Started shortly after Samsung's 'New Management' declaration in 1993
1 dog costs 100 million KRW and takes 2 years... Total of 267 dogs distributed
"Beyond social contribution, full effort for awareness improvement"

Chairman Lee Kun-hee of Samsung Electronics holding his pet dog 'Benji' during an interview with the American comprehensive economic magazine 'Fortune' in 1993. [Photo by Samsung Electronics]

[Asia Economy Reporter Han Yeju] When the stairs appeared, the guide dog 'Jini' stopped walking. Only after the reporter, whose eyes were completely covered with a blindfold, gestured to go up did Jini start moving again. Although the stairs were short, Jini did not rush. Matching the pace of the newly met friend, Jini slowly climbed the steps one by one.

One year of puppy walking, 6 to 8 months of training, and one month of education for the visually impaired. This is the training period required for Jini to fulfill the role of a guide dog. The cost is also considerable. Approximately 100 million KRW is spent per dog. At the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, 12 to 15 guide dogs like Jini are provided free of charge every year. Having distributed a total of 267 dogs so far means at least 26.7 billion KRW has been spent. However, Samsung's social impact is estimated to be worth several hundred billion KRW. This is because it has given visually impaired people the opportunity to live independent lives and be members of society.

The Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, which I visited on the 20th, was established in September 1993 according to the wishes of the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee. It has now become the only full member organization of the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) in Korea, training guide dogs for 29 years. At the time, Chairman Lee emphasized, "It costs 100,000 dollars to make one guide dog. No matter how expensive, we must bring in the best trainers from abroad and produce a few dogs in Yongin," and thus established the guide dog school in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.

In particular, he believed, "To become a truly welfare society, it is necessary to have warm-hearted members of society who consider people with disabilities and accept them as equal members without hesitation." Perhaps because of this, the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, despite its formal name, is filled with a warm atmosphere. Besides the training area, there is a playground where 'guide dog seedlings' can run freely, a swimming pool called the 'Gaeribian Bay,' and even a memorial monument, reflecting Samsung's thoughtful consideration for guide dogs.

Along with training guide dogs, the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School has been working to eliminate discrimination against guide dogs. Over time, it has conducted 'visual impairment experience' programs with not only the visually impaired but also volunteers, and campaigns encouraging the use of public transportation with guide dogs. As a result, the government and National Assembly have joined efforts to improve welfare for people with disabilities, and in 1999, provisions related to assistance dogs were introduced into the 'Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act,' making it punishable to unjustifiably refuse entry of visually impaired people accompanied by guide dogs to taxis, buses, restaurants, hotels, and other public places. Institutional changes followed. In 2012, the law was amended to grant trainers and puppy walking volunteers equal legal status with their visually impaired partners when using convenience facilities and public transportation for training and socialization purposes, greatly improving the environment for guide dog training. (Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act, Article 40)

On the 20th, at the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School located in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, the guide dog 'Jini' is undergoing a walking test.
[Photo by Han Yeju]

Various other attempts have also been continuously made. During the 2002 World Cup, to show that visually impaired people could share the excitement and joy of the event and to dispel misconceptions about guide dogs, 10 visually impaired people and their guide dogs were invited to the USA-Poland match held at the Daejeon World Cup Stadium. In the same year, during the torch relay of the Busan Asian Games, solely sponsored by Samsung Electronics, three visually impaired people participated with their guide dogs, drawing attention.

A Samsung official said, "Guide dogs are now recognized not just as part of corporate social responsibility but as a social public good. Many sectors of society are voluntarily working to establish guide dog culture." He added, "As we have done for the past 29 years, Samsung will continue to foster guide dogs that serve as family, partners, and 'eyes' for the visually impaired, and will make various efforts to improve related social awareness." In particular, Samsung plans to collaborate with NGOs to ensure higher fairness in beneficiary selection and to hold the 'World Guide Dog Day' event every year on the last Wednesday of April to promote awareness.

Meanwhile, on this day at the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, an event titled 'Walking Together Toward Tomorrow' was held to support the new beginnings of newly trained and graduated guide dogs.

About 50 people who have been part of the guide dogs' lives gathered at the event, including puppy walkers, visually impaired partners, adoptive families of retired dogs, and trainers from the Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance Guide Dog School, to cheer for the new start of guide dogs and retired dogs. Park Jumin, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea who has shown interest in activities for people with disabilities, also attended and delivered messages of gratitude and encouragement. Park said, "Guide dogs are important companions who change the quality of life for visually impaired people," and added, "The government must prepare legal and institutional support plans related to guide dogs, and the private sector must work on support and changing perceptions." He emphasized, "In the National Assembly, I will strive not only to expand the supply of assistance dogs but also to guarantee the mobility rights of transportation-vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities."

Hong Wonhak, CEO of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, said at the event, "The guide dog program has supported better lives for the visually impaired and changed social perceptions of guide dogs over 29 years through the interest and efforts of all members of society." He added, "We will continue to work harder to improve the social environment and awareness for a world where guide dogs and their partners live together."

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