[Interview] "Public Interest Must Become a System"... Ha-Eun Son, Chairperson of BOM Foundation, Envisions an "Alliance of Execution"

"Good intentions alone cannot change society. Public interest must now evolve into a system equipped with structure, execution, and sustainability."

Ha-Eun Son, Chairperson of BOM Foundation, outlined her vision for the future of the public interest sector in an interview with The Asia Business Daily. Her approach went beyond idealism. Throughout the interview, she consistently emphasized the need to redesign the very role of public interest foundations-from merely focusing on donations and volunteerism to becoming "execution-oriented platforms" that address social problems structurally.

Haeun Son, Chairperson of Bom Foundation.
Photo by Byunggun Kwon

원본보기 아이콘

Chairperson Son stressed, "A public interest foundation should not be just a simple sponsor. It must evolve into a social innovation platform that diagnoses on-the-ground issues, connects necessary resources, and combines policy and private sector capabilities to create sustainable change."

The term she mentioned most frequently was "sustainability." She believes that one-off support or event-driven donations cannot solve structural crises such as youth issues, regional extinction, or social polarization.

She explained, "When the support ends, so does the impact-this approach only repeats the inherent limitations of public interest initiatives. What matters is creating a system that remains and continues to operate in the field."

To this end, BOM Foundation is focusing on establishing a cyclical public interest model encompassing "problem diagnosis, resource connection, execution, and performance management." The structure goes beyond simply delivering aid; it also checks whether real change and recovery have been achieved.

She stated, "Public interest is not just about delivering goodwill-it must be proven through social outcomes. I also believe that the foundation's responsibility lies more in the results of change than in the support itself."

Regarding the role of BOM Foundation, she repeatedly used the word "connection." She explained that an important function of a public interest foundation is to bring together the capabilities of government, local governments, corporations, and civil society within a single structure.

Chairperson Son said, "The government has policy capabilities, corporations possess resources and ESG execution power, and civil society provides field expertise. When these elements are organically connected, rather than acting separately, much greater social change can occur." She added, "BOM Foundation aspires to be not just a support organization but a platform that designs and implements these connections."

Her perspective on youth and regional issues was also clear. She views youth outflow and regional imbalance not simply as economic problems, but as issues of national survival.

She emphasized, "For young people, we must provide opportunities for challenge and growth; for regions, we need to create self-sustaining cooperative ecosystems. For vulnerable groups, it is important not just to offer basic livelihood support, but to open pathways to recovery that enable them to stand on their own."

Her vision for the digital transformation era was also notable. She sees artificial intelligence (AI) and data technology as core tools for enhancing the efficiency and precision of public interest efforts.

Chairperson Son said, "The future of public interest cannot be driven by sentiment alone. We must build faster and more accurate public interest models by leveraging data-based demand analysis and AI-based systems for diagnosing social issues."

She continued, "We also plan to actively expand technology-based public interest infrastructure, such as digital fundraising platforms and online counseling and education systems." Above all, she emphasized the importance of "trust." She believes that the very existence of a public interest foundation depends on trust.

She stated, "For donors' goodwill to be sustained over time, transparency and outcomes are essential. We will strengthen accounting transparency, project evaluation, and accountability in decision-making to create a model for public interest organizations that society can trust."

In particular, Chairperson Son is expanding her presence not only in domestic public interest activities, but also in the fields of international humanitarian cooperation and private diplomacy. Based on exchanges with the Vietnamese government and local institutions, she has been building a private sector cooperation network between the two countries. At the same time, she continues to provide material support and humanitarian relief activities for the approximately 6 million residents affected by Agent Orange in Vietnam since the Vietnam War.

Chairperson Son said, "Public interest is about responding to human dignity and suffering beyond borders. Standing in solidarity and love with Vietnam's Agent Orange victims, who have suffered for so long, is not just about support-it is a matter of responsibility toward humanity."

She went on to say, "The essence of private diplomacy lies in understanding one another's wounds and building trust for the future together. I hope BOM Foundation can serve as a bridge of humanitarian cooperation between Korea and Vietnam." Regarding her five-year goal, she replied, "It is to establish ourselves as the most trusted execution-oriented foundation in Korea's public interest ecosystem."

Haeun Son (right), Chairperson of the Bom Foundation, is interviewed by a reporter from The Asia Business Daily in the Bom Foundation's 7th-floor office in Sejong City on the 5th.
Photo by Byunggeon Kwon

원본보기 아이콘

At the end of the interview, Chairperson Son remarked, "What I want BOM Foundation to leave behind is not just business achievements. I believe the true value of public interest lies in creating hope for someone to live again and in leaving behind a structure of solidarity within society that allows us to grow together."

This interview demonstrated that Chairperson Son's perspective on public interest goes beyond simple sharing, reaching into the realm of "innovating social structures." Attention is now focused on how BOM Foundation's plan to prove the sustainability of public interest through systems and execution will bring about change in Korea's public interest ecosystem.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.