Honoring late founder's wishes, chairman commits development fund to regional industrial growth
Joong Heung Group has long led community giving since the era of late founder Chung Chang-sun
Joong Heung Group Chairman Jung Won-joo has officially pledged a development fund donation to seed the South Jeolla-Gwangju integrated special city's AI semiconductor mega project.
Jung made the announcement Wednesday at a ceremony titled "Era of Great Leap Forward: Future Vision Declaration," co-hosted by Namdo Ilbo and Gwangju MBC at the main auditorium of the Korea Institute of Energy Technology in Naju. He said the donation would honor the wishes of the group's late founder, Chung Chang-sun.
"My father passed away not long ago, but his passion for Gwangju and Honam was immense — I am sure he is watching over us from afar," Jung said. "I will consult with South Jeolla-Gwangju Integrated Special City Mayor Min Hyeong-bae and City Council Speaker Song Hyeong-gon to establish a development fund and make sure we donate."
Joong Heung Group has been at the forefront of community giving since the era of late founder Chung.
The group has supported local sports culture through annual sponsorship since Gwangju FC was founded in 2010, and established the Joong Heung Scholarship Foundation in 2012 to provide annual scholarships to students in Gwangju and South Jeolla Province.
The group has also pursued talent development with an eye on the coming era of technological competition, donating 30 billion won ($19.3 million) to the KAIST Pyeongtaek Brain City semiconductor research center development fund to help cultivate the next generation of science and technology talent.
The late founder Chung said during his lifetime, "Although it is not a large sum, I hope it will serve as a small foundation for students as they plan their futures. I look forward to seeing them grow into indispensable contributors to our society."
sij@heraldcorp.com
