LIG & Holt, good neighbors

“Out neighbor-helping activities have grown to join social contribution activities,” said an employee at LIG Group, which moved its holding company and several subsidiaries next to Holt International Children’s Services Korea in the Mapo district of Seoul in July last year. LIG and Holt will jointly pursue various social contribution activities this year.

Without tall buildings nearby, the headquarters of Holt International Children’s Services has been a landmark of the area since 1968 when it was built at the northern end of the Yanghwa Bridge. A 24-story building was built last year as a part of the urban environment development project and LIG Group and its subsidiaries moved into that building. While looking for a building for its subsidiaries being scattered in different places, LIG Group nestled in the new headquarters. The Holt agency also built a new six-story building right next to the LIG’s.

It was LIG Group that approached Holt to work together. Holt accepted the offer and set up a plan to bring 410 foster parents and children to be adopted over to a picnic at Seoul Grand Park. LIG Group happily supported the plan.

The picnic event was successful, and LIG told Holt that it wanted to help Holt year-round, not just for one-off event. Holt made a program to help single-parent families, including supporting child-raising goods, bringing them to picnics, supporting child medical services. LIG Group and its subsidiaries raised 100 million won (91,000 U.S. dollars) last month and delivered the fund to Holt and signed an agreement to jointly conduct social contribution activities. LIG said it would actively participate in helping single-parent families with Holt and the Gender Equality and Family Ministry.

Hong Mi-gyeong, public relations head of LIG Group, said, “Due to social prejudice, projects to help unmarried mother and their children had support from few conglomerates. We’re very happy to participate in this project. We also hope our participation will contribute to changes in social perspective (toward these families).”

LIG Group also plans to open its 190-seat concert hall in its building`s basement so that musicians based in the area near Hongik University can perform at low cost.

tesomiom@donga.com