Youngone Group's KEPZ wins Bangladesh national tree-planting award

The Korea Export Processing Zone (KEPZ), developed and operated by Youngone Group in Bangladesh, has won the National Tree Plantation Award 2025 from the Bangladeshi government.

At the award ceremony held Thursday in Dhaka, Youngone Group Chairman Sung Ki-hak accepted the prize on behalf of KEPZ directly from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. KEPZ took first place in the institutional category, recognized for the highest level of contribution.

KEPZ is recognized as a model of eco-friendly management for transforming roughly 2,492 acres of wasteland into an industrial complex rich in green space and water bodies. About 52 percent of the total site has been developed as green areas and water bodies, and approximately 3 million trees have been planted to date. The complex also features 25 reservoirs capable of storing about 600 million gallons of rainwater.

Since 2023, Youngone has been developing the KEPZ Botanical Garden, a project spanning about 60 acres. Approximately 1,300 plant species have been planted so far. The company plans to expand the number of conserved plant species to 1,850 by 2027, making it the largest plant conservation center in Bangladesh.

"This award reflects KEPZ being recognized not merely as an industrial complex, but as a sustainable model that grows together with the environment and local community," a Youngone official said. "We will continue our diverse efforts to foster healthy coexistence."