Hyosung Group has continued its patriotic remembrance activities across three generations, from founder the late Cho Hong-je and second-generation Chairman Cho Seok-rae to Chairman Cho Hyun-joon. Through support for descendants of independence patriots, efforts to improve housing for war veterans, and welfare programs for South Korean troops, the company says it is carrying forward its founder's spirit of "industrial patriotism."
According to Hyosung Group on the 13th, founder Cho Hong-je was arrested by Japanese colonial authorities and imprisoned after taking part in the June Tenth Movement during his school years. He later founded Hyosung Group based on a spirit of patriotism and devotion to the nation, and adopted "industrial patriotism," the philosophy of contributing to national and ethnic development by building a business, as his management principle.
In June, Hyosung Group supported the construction of a memorial monument to mark the 100th anniversary of the June Tenth Movement, in which founder Cho Hong-je had participated. The company said the effort was intended to highlight the movement's historical significance and honor the spirit of the independence movement.
It has also continued to support descendants of independence patriots. On June 1, Hyosung Group donated funds to Good Neighbors, a global NGO specializing in children's rights, to support descendants of independence patriots and stateless ethnic Koreans living in Uzbekistan. The aid will reach 13 households, or 33 people.
Based on local surveys, Hyosung Group plans to improve housing conditions and provide high-efficiency appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, along with other daily necessities. It will also offer health checkups and emergency living expenses according to each family's situation. Since 2007, the company has also supported the restoration and maintenance of the refuge used by independence activist Kim Ku in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, China.
Hyosung Group is also providing cultural and leisure support for national merit recipients and their families. In May, it held a healing outing in the Namyangju-si, Gyeonggi-do area for 20 national merit recipients and their families together with the Seoul Southern Veterans Office. On June 4, it held a concert titled "Sound of Heritage: Traditional Resonance" at the National Museum of Korea's Theater Yong, combining a history lecture with a traditional Korean music performance.
The company has supported housing improvement projects for war veterans for 15 years. Since 2012, Hyosung Group has backed the "Patriotic Shelter" project, which is jointly promoted by the public, private, and military sectors with the Republic of Korea Army Headquarters at its center. The project renovates or rebuilds aging homes of national merit recipients who fought in the 6·25 War and the Vietnam War, or provides rental housing support. So far, a total of 1,303 households have received assistance, including 376 households for housing improvements and 927 households for rent support.
It has also worked to improve welfare and barracks culture for South Korean troops. After forming a one-company, one-military-unit partnership with the I Corps "Gwanggaeto" in 2010, Hyosung Group has delivered annual consolation payments and supported welfare facilities such as reading cafes, fitness equipment, and laundry rooms. Since 2016, as part of its "Creating a Reading Military Camp" project, it has donated "Love Reading Cafes" for service members.
Since forming a one-company, one-gravesite partnership with Seoul National Cemetery in 2014, Hyosung Group employees have also supported grave-site cleanup activities every spring and fall. In May, 15 people, including employees from Hyosung Group affiliates and university student supporters, visited the Memorial Tower, placed South Korean national flags at Section 9, and carried out environmental cleanup work.
A Hyosung Group official said, "Based on the patriotic and nation-loving spirit passed down from our founder and the value of industrial patriotism, we will continue to carry out patriotic remembrance activities for national merit recipients, their families, descendants of independence patriots, and South Korean troops."
Kim Se-hyeong
This article has been translated by GripLabs Mingo AI.
