By Kim Yoo-chul

The Hyundai’s Asan Nanum Foundation (ANF) said Thursday that it will hold a forum aimed at helping small venture companies. Asan is Hyundai Group founder Chung Ju-yung’s pen name and "Nanum" is the Korean word for sharing.

Some 200 experts including the foundation’s honorary Chairman Chung Mong-joon will attend the one-day seminar which will be held in downtown Seoul from 2 p.m., Friday, ANF said in a statement.

``We will discuss various pending issues. How to effectively help young job seekers is one of the top agenda issues. ANF will soon launch the Chung Ju-yung fund to help young entrepreneurs hoping to run independent venture firms,’’ Chung was quoted as saying in the press release. Chung is the largest single shareholder of the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI).

Chung stressed that the fund will make a big contribution to help the young and talented start a business and the forum will find ways to revitalize the management of investments.

The Nanum foundation with an initial capital of 500 billion won was launched last year.

Chung donated part of his private fortune of 200 billion won, while six Hyundai Group of companies collectively donated 276 billion won, ANF said.

The goal of the foundation is in commemoration of the late Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung.

``The late Hyundai founder’s firm entrepreneurship is a vivid testimony for young entrepreneurship that can revive the sagging momentum in the job market. We hope the forum will pave the way to take the issue to the top,’’ said Han Jeong-hwa, in a separate statement. He is a professor at Seoul’s Hanyang University, the main organizer of the seminar.

Since its foundation, the ANF is increasing the number of charity programs to help young adults.

Recently, ANF provided opportunities for 500 selected people to be dispatched as youth overseas volunteers every year. They take part in projects aimed at remodeling children’s education facilities in developing nations.

The ANF said the volunteer program is the ``largest such activity’’ made by a private organization, ANF officials said.