Seventy-four local chambers of commerce and regional businesses are set to provide approximately 200 million won in financial and material support to assist households in crisis that are overlooked by welfare programs.
The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry's New Entrepreneurial Spirit Council (ERT) announced on July 20 at the 'Just Dream On Lounge' within the Naraeul Comprehensive Social Welfare Center in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, the launch of the 'Just Dream' support plan as the first initiative of a joint social contribution project.
Attendees included Choi Tae-won, chairman of the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry and SK Group, Jeong Eun-kyeong, Minister of Health and Welfare, Kim Hyun-hoon, president of the Korea Social Welfare Council, and Yoon Seong-jin, first vice mayor of Hwaseong.
'Just Dream' is a program designed to provide essential goods to residents facing economic hardships without requiring additional documentation, while also connecting them to welfare services through consultations.
In this project, the 74 local chambers will participate in financial and material support, campaigns, and promotional activities tailored to their regional conditions. Among them, 21 chambers and 10 local member companies will contribute approximately 200 million won in financial and material aid. The remaining chambers plan to conduct campaigns to encourage participation from local businesses and citizens.
After sharing the purpose of the joint initiative and regional support plans, attendees participated in a donation ceremony. They also engaged in volunteer activities, packaging essential items such as instant rice, ramen, and porridge while reviewing the operational status and support cases of 'Just Dream' in Hwaseong.
Choi Tae-won stated, "This joint initiative is a collaborative model established by local chambers of commerce and businesses to address common social issues together. It is significant that not only large corporations but also local small and medium-sized enterprises are participating."
He added, "I hope that the support for the 'Just Dream' initiative will provide tangible help to neighbors in welfare blind spots. We will continue to work with the community to identify and solve problems, ensuring that the social role of businesses does not end with one-time support."
The joint initiative of the national chambers of commerce is a collaborative social contribution project involving 74 local chambers and regional ERT member companies. This initiative marks the first instance of expanding regionally conducted activities into a nationwide joint project, with the 'Just Dream' program selected as its initial task.
Meanwhile, the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry has been actively addressing various social issues, including a recent forum held in collaboration with the Office for Government Policy Coordination and Pohang University of Science and Technology to discuss regional balanced development and the growth of the AI industry.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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