Dongsuh Foods engages public with social contributions in culture, art

Participants of Dongsuh Literary Camp pose during the two-day workshop in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Aug. 29. Courtesy of Dongsuh Foods

Dongsuh Foods has chosen to engage with the public through various social contribution activities in the fields of art and culture, aiming to give back to society for the support and love it has received from consumers, according to the company Friday.

Since 1989, Dongsuh Foods has been holding the biennial Dongsuh Literary Award, which is Korea’s largest literary award for emerging women writers.

This year marks the 17th edition of the award, and applications are open until Tuesday. Writers can apply in four categories: poetry, fiction, essays and children’s literature.

During the submission period, a variety of accompanying events are held to encourage aspiring writers. These include a mentoring class where famous authors share writing tips, one-on-one online writing classes and an outdoor camp designed to encourage writers.

During the two-day camp in late August, more than 50 participants and four renowned writers, including novelist Kim Hong-shin, the author of “Human Market,” participated in various activities in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, to hone the skills of emerging writers and find fresh inspiration.

Dongsuh Foods is also known as one of the top sponsors backing the expansion of the board game Go, or baduk in Korean. For the past 25 years, the company has been sponsoring the Maxim Coffee Cup Go Championship, which is a prestigious tournament open only to 9-dan professional Go players, the highest rank in the game.

During this year’s championship, which lasted for four months — since January — Shin Jin-seo clinched his second consecutive victory, while Kim Myung-hoon also gained attention by making it into the finals in only his second appearance in the tournament.

Dongsuh Foods is also donating books to elementary schools to improve library environments for children. Starting in 2017 with Sangsang Elementary School in Jincheon, North Chungcheong Province, Dongsuh Foods has been selecting one local elementary school each year and providing books.

This year, the company selected Bongsan Elementary School in Daejeon on the recommendation of the local education authority. Dongsuh Foods donated around 3,000 new books and replaced or added shelves in the school’s library to create a better reading environment for students.

“Dongsuh Foods has been engaging with the community through various social contribution programs, so that we can give back to society,” a Dongsuh Foods official said. “The company will continue making contributions for the progress of Korean culture and art.”