Hope Bridge Department Heads With Tongs... Plogging at Yuldong Park in Seongnam

[Financial News] Wearing red vests and carrying tongs and bags, employees of Hope Bridge National Disaster Relief Association gathered at Yuldong Park in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province. They set out to go “plogging,” walking along the trails and picking up litter.
According to Hope Bridge on the 14th, the plogging took place on the 6th ahead of the “2026 Second-Half Department Heads’ Workshop,” held at the Bundang Children’s Safety Experience Center. Eighteen people took part, including Secretary-General Shin Hoon and department heads.
Yuldong Park is a public recreational space with trails around a reservoir and a grassy plaza. Participants collected discarded plastic, cans and other litter from around the park. The association organized the activity as part of its environmental, social and governance (ESG) management. It was designed to give department heads the opportunity to talk in nature and experience environmental protection activities they could do in their daily lives. It also aimed to build broader consensus within the organization on responding to the climate crisis and preventing disasters.
Hope Bridge’s forest restoration campaign, “Forest of Hope,” helps ecosystems recover by planting and tending trees in areas damaged by wildfires. On the 17th of last month, it held an activity with the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute in Uljin County, North Gyeongsang Province, which was affected by wildfires in 2022. About 100 people took part, including around 80 citizen volunteers and 20 representatives from the two organizations.
After learning about the wildfire damage and restoration methods, the volunteers scattered “seed balls”—made by mixing seeds of native plants such as cork oak with soil—on the slopes. They also planted oak and azalea seedlings. The association plans to continue planting native species and conducting follow-up monitoring in Uljin, Cheongsong and other areas.
Secretary-General Shin Hoon said, “In an era when climate disasters are becoming commonplace, everyday efforts to protect the environment and prevent disasters are just as important as providing rapid relief after an incident. Going forward, all our employees, including those in leadership positions, will continue to recognize their social responsibility and pursue a range of environmental and social contribution activities in partnership with local communities.”
Hope Bridge’s predecessor was the National Flood Damage Countermeasures Committee, established in 1961. The association says that since its establishment, it has provided disaster-affected residents with 1.7 trillion won in donations and 70 million or more relief items. Alongside emergency relief, it also conducts disaster-prevention education and support programs for groups vulnerable to safety risks.

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