Bhc CEO joins anti-drug campaign

Bhc CEO Im Geun-ok pose with “NO EXIT” anti-drug campaign message in his office in Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of bhc

By Kim Jae-heun

Bhc CEO Im Geun-ok has joined the nationwide anti-drug campaign “NO EXIT” to raise awareness on drug addiction, the fried chicken franchise said Sunday.

The campaign, which the National Police Agency and the Korean Association Against Drug Abuse have been promoting since April, aims to eradicate drug abuse.

With recent drug-related incidents emerging as social issues, various public figures such as businesspeople, government officials and celebrities have joined the campaign to spread the message aiming to prevent drug use, abuse and crimes.

“Drug crimes, which were only heard about in distant countries in the past, are now making the headlines in local newspapers,” the CEO said. “In particular, our future generations of teenagers are falling vulnerable to drug abuse. Bhc Group will actively carry out social contribution activities to create a healthy society without drugs and continuously work to spread a good influence.”

The campaign asks participants to post a message on their social media accounts with the hashtags #NoExitCampaing and #Drug_MazeWithoutExit. Participants then designate two more people to participate. Im was designated by Mirae Asset Securities Chairman Choi Hyun-man.

Im nominated Tire Bank Chairman Kim Jeong-kyu and Bulgari Korea CEO Shawn Lee to continue the public campaign.

Meanwhile, the recorded number of drug offenders in Korea reached a high of more than 18,000 last year, increasing nearly 50 percent from 2018.

According to the Narcotics & Organized Crimes Division of the Supreme Prosecutors' Office, about 46 percent of last year's offenders were charged for drug use, 19 percent for sales, 9.3 percent for cultivation and 7.6 percent for smuggling.