SKT provides W110 billion in aid to partners

The Hanwha Life training center, dubbed “Life Park,” in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province is turned into a hospital ward to accommodate coronavirus patients in the region, Thursday. Courtesy of Hanwha Group

By Kim Hyun-bin

SK Telecom, the country’s leading mobile carrier, has spent 110 billion won ($92.7 million) providing both monetary aid and urgent virus supplies to its distribution network and business partners that have been suffering losses due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic spreading throughout the country.

“The move comes to secure its network operations to maintain high-quality services as well as to aid business partners in their struggles,” the mobile carrier said in a statement.

SKT headquarters in Seoul. Courtesy of SKT

As many as 750 SKT authorized dealers nationwide, who are lacking liquidity due to a huge decline in sales attributed to the virus scare, have received part of their March incentive in advance, Wednesday, worth 35 billion won. In addition, the company contributed an extra 4 billion won to help cover the businesses’ operational expenses.

Part of the funds will be used to better prevent the spread of the virus providing employees and stores with masks and containers of hand sanitizer as well as supporting quarantine measures.

Stores located in Daegu and North Gyeongsang Province, which were most heavily impacted by the virus will be given a one month extension on their mobile handset payments, which is worth a total of 40 billion won. They will also receive an additional 1 billion won in operation costs.

“We have contemplated ways to come up with realistic support measures to help our struggling business partners,” SKT CEO Park Jung-ho said in the press release. “The measures will not be a one-time deal as we will continue to review ways to aid them.”

To ensure the safety of customers, since January SKT stores nationwide have been providing masks and hand sanitizer.

A “COVID-19 combined situation room” has been in operation monitoring in real-time the spread of the virus and sharing prevention measures for the company’s distribution channels.

SKT has been checking on its network and infrastructure maintenance with its partners, while providing support measures, accordingly.

For the 140 network infrastructure construction firms, they will be provided with March through June construction costs in advance this month.

A total of 23 billion won will be provided, 6 billion of which will be allocated to companies located in the southeastern region of the country including Daegu and Busan.

“It is imperative for telecom companies to maintain the quality of their communication services,” an SKT official said. “It is a decision made to maintain top communication quality.”

Hanwha support measures

Hanwha Group has stepped up efforts to aid in the lack of sickbeds for coronavirus patients by turning its Hanwha Life training institute “Life Park” into a treatment center, the company said, Thursday.

Hanwha is the third conglomerate following Samsung and LG to offer a training institute to accommodate virus patients.

The facility is equipped with 200 rooms as well as TV, WiFi, bathrooms and showering facilities and is in close proximity to large hospitals in Seoul and Suwon.

Hanwha Solution also donated 150,000 masks to North Gyeonsang Province on Feb. 26.