Korean firms help survivors of Indonesia quake
KT&G sustainable management division head Lee Sang-hak, right, poses with Korean Red Cross (KRC) President Park Kyung-seo at KRC headquarters in Seoul, Thursday. The tobacco maker donated 100 million won ($88,482) to KRC to help survivors of the quake in Indonesia. / Courtesy of KT&G
By Park Jae-hyuk
KT&G and other companies have begun making donations for the recovery of the large Indonesian island of Sulawesi, which was hit by a 7.5-magnitutde earthquake and resulting tsunami on Sept. 28, they said Thursday.
The death toll from the disaster reportedly surpassed 1,400. What is worse, damage restoration is making slow progress as access to the underdeveloped area is not easy. For the survivors who are desperate for food and shelter, Hyundai Motor, KT&G, Lotte and SK joined the international society's efforts to help them.
Hyundai Motor Group said its subsidiaries will collectively donate $500,000 and vehicles to the Southeast Asian country. Hyundai Motor will donate $200,000, while each of Kia Motors, Hyundai E&C and Hyundai Engineering will make $100,000 donations.
The automotive group will discuss the use of the money with the Indonesian government.
“First of all, we root for Indonesians who suffer from the sudden earthquake and tsunami. We hope our donation helps hasten damage restoration,” a Hyundai Motor Group official said. “We will continue to continue to join the international society's humanitarian aid efforts.”
KT&G said it donated 100 million won ($88,482) to the country via the Korean Red Cross. The money came from a social contribution fund raised by the tobacco maker's employees.
“We want Indonesians in deep sorrow to have hope for a better future,” a KT&G official managing the fund said. “Through the support from Korean companies, we want Korea and Indonesia to have better relations beyond economic ties.”
Lotte said the Indonesian subsidiaries of Lotte Chemical and Lotte Mart donated 3 billion Indonesian rupiah ($198,088). The conglomerate will also discuss the use of the money with the Indonesian government.
SK said it will donate $300,000, adding its subsidiaries are mulling over various ways to support the survivors.
The Korean companies have made donations around the world, whenever a mass natural disaster occurs.