Hybe donates $682,000 for restoration of national heritage damaged in wildfires
A worker of an arboreal treatment company cleanses a burnt pine tree in Andong after a massive wildfire hit the region, North Gyeongsang Province, March 31. Yonhap
K-pop powerhouse Hybe has donated 1 billion won ($682,000) to support the restoration of cultural heritage damaged in Korea's worst wildfires to date, the company announced Wednesday.
The donation was made to the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) and the National Trust for Cultural Heritage, an affiliated organization under the KHS dedicated to preserving and managing the country's cultural assets.
The funds will be used to repair and restore heritage sites that were either destroyed or damaged by the recent wildfires in the eastern region, as well as to rehabilitate the surrounding environments, the company said.
According to authorities, the fires claimed 31 lives and left eight others seriously injured. They also affected 33 cultural heritage sites, including Goun Temple, a recognized UNESCO World Heritage Site.
"We extend our deepest sympathies to everyone impacted by the wildfires," Hybe said in a statement. "As a content company rooted in the cultural industry, we hope to contribute even a little to the restoration of national heritage." (Yonhap)