GS Group donates W500 million for wildfire victims

By Kwak Yeon-soo

GS Group Chairman Huh Chang-soo / Courtesy of GS Group

GS Group made a 500 million won ($440,000) donation to help victims of the recent wildfire in Gangwon Province, the group said Wednesday.

The coastal forest fire broke out on Thursday and swept through Sokcho, Goseong County and Gangneung, killing two people, destroying more than 120 homes and displacing 4,000 evacuated residents.

The donation was delivered to Community Chest of Korea on Monday.

“We hope our donation will help people who have been affected by the damage after the wildfire,” a GS Group official said. “We hope the local residents recover from the aftermath of the wildfire.”

GS Retail has teamed up with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety and other relief organizations to provide emergency supplies, like food and water, and other necessities to locals who suffered from the wildfire.

GS Retail signed a memorandum of understanding last year with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety to annually donate relief supplies worth 50 million won, transform GS25 convenience stores into emergency shelters during natural disasters and carry out safety monitoring activities.

Executives and employees at GS Group affiliates have been holding regular volunteer activities and donations in line with the group chairman's commitment to corporate social responsibility.