A devastating wildfire broke out on the morning of April 11 in a field located in Nangok-dong, Gangneung, Gangwon Province. The fire raged for over eight hours and caused significant damage before it was finally extinguished. In this photo, Forest Service aerial firefighters can be seen evacuating residents during the blaze. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, April 19 (Korea Bizwire) — Following the devastating Gangneung wildfires, companies have organized Good Samaritan campaigns to support cleanup efforts in the area.
For example, employees of Goodoc, a healthcare application developer in Seoul, volunteered to clean up wildfire debris near Bukjeongjeong, a tangible cultural property in Gangwon Province that was affected by the fires. Rather than holding a scheduled workshop, the Goodoc team opted to lend a hand with the cleanup efforts.
In the photo taken on April 17, employees of Goodoc, a healthcare application developer in Seoul, can be seen volunteering to clean up wildfire debris near Bukjeongjeong, a tangible cultural property in Gangwon Province (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
The travel industry is also stepping up to support the recovery efforts in Gangneung following the wildfires. Companies and organizations are rolling up their sleeves to assist with cleanup efforts, as well as promoting tourism to the region to help stimulate the local economy.
Korail Travel has launched a one-day train trip called “Let’s Go to Gangneung!” to support Gangneung. All proceeds from the trip (approximately 20,000 won per person) will be donated to support the recovery efforts. The itinerary includes visiting tourist spots, such as rail bikes and Jeongdong-Simgok Badabuchae-gil, and eating local cuisine, including Gangneung Chodang Erken Sundubu. Participants will also have the opportunity to shop at the local market.
Companies are donating to support the victims of the Gangneung wildfires. They are not only donating money to help restore areas affected by the fires and support victims, but also delivering relief goods and providing free repair services for products.
Samsung Group has pledged 3 billion won for recovery efforts, while Hyundai Motor and SK Group will each donate 2 billion won. Other companies such as NAVER, Kakao, and Lotte Group have donated 1 billion won each, and many other companies have joined the effort.
The number of donations from cryptocurrency-related companies is particularly noteworthy, with Dunamu, the operator of cryptocurrency exchange Upbit, announcing on April 14 that it will donate 500 million won to the Korean Red Cross to support the relief and recovery of the victims of the Gangneung wildfire.
Meanwhile, many victims were temporarily housed at the Gangneung Arena, as their homes had been destroyed by the fires. However, as the victims work to rebuild their lives, the number of tents in the arena has significantly decreased.
Many have since moved to temporary accommodations, such as LH rental houses, pensions, and hotels. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
