Hyundai Motor Names Four Marine Forests, Wins ESG Design Impact Award at Seoul Design Award

[Financial News] Hyundai Motor’s global environmental and social contribution campaign, “Forest Without a Name,” won the “ESG Design Impact Award” at the “Seoul Design Award 2026.”
On the 15th, Hyundai Motor said the campaign won at the “Seoul Design Award 2026,” held on the 14th, in recognition of its role in broadening public appreciation of and discussion about marine forest conservation.
The Seoul Design Award is an international design competition focused on sustainable design that brings people, society and the environment into harmony. The newly established ESG (environmental, social and governance) Design Impact Award is given to corporate projects that create social and environmental value, following recommendations from experts in design and ESG.
In 2023, Hyundai Motor signed an “MOU on Cooperation for Blue Carbon in Marine Forests” with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency, and in 2024 created marine forests covering a total of 3.96 km2 in two areas off Ulsan. Since May this year, it has worked on the Forest Without a Name project with public-sector, academic and civil society partners.
The project gave names to four marine forests. The forest established in Jujeon-dong, Dong-gu, Ulsan, was named “Ullim Marine Forest” in cooperation with the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Korea Fisheries Resources Agency. With the cooperation of Ulleung County, a place-based name was also given to the “Tonggumi Natural Marine Forest” on Ulleungdo.
The marine forest in Argentina was named “Auken Aiken” in collaboration with a local marine NGO and residents’ groups. The name means “a place to live” in a local Indigenous language. In Australia, local marine experts and the community selected candidate names, and a global public vote settled on “Yanggaa.” It means “crayfish” in an Indigenous language. Hyundai Motor said all four forests were added to Google Maps and KakaoMap, drawing public interest and participation in marine forests.
The campaign will be on display at the DDP Design Trail in Seoul from the 14th through the 25th, during Seoul Design Week. It will present the campaign’s process and its message about marine ecosystem conservation.
Hyundai Motor also shared a case study of its “Tree Correspondent” campaign, alongside Forest Without a Name, at the “Seoul Design Conference: THINK MAKE CHANGE,” where the awards ceremony was held. The campaign used AI to analyze climate and ecological data and turned it into articles written from the perspective of trees.
Sungwon Jee, Hyundai Motor’s vice president and head of Brand Marketing, said, “It is meaningful to be recognized for using the ‘Forest Without a Name’ campaign to communicate the value of marine forests in a way the public can relate to, and for expanding the need to conserve marine ecosystems into a broader social discussion.”
He added, “Going forward, under our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity,’ we will continue to do what is right for society and communities and pursue activities that contribute to a sustainable future through technology and creativity.”
[email protected] Kim Dong-chan Reporter