Gyeonggi Center for Economic Innovation donates 361 computers to bridge digital divide

The Gyeonggi Center for Economic Innovation has donated end-of-life computing equipment to the local community, combining resource recycling with digital inclusion.

The center donated 361 units of computing equipment to the Gyeonggi branch of the Community Chest of Korea on July 24, and on Wednesday delivered proceeds generated from recycling the devices, it announced Wednesday.

The donation was made as part of the Community Chest of Korea's "Give-Com Campaign," a corporate social responsibility initiative that recycles unused IT equipment to protect the environment and support digitally underserved populations.

The handover ceremony was attended by Lee Gi-yeong, head of the center's digital management team, and Kim Eon-ok, head of the Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea's social contribution team, along with other officials from both organizations. The donated equipment comprised 251 desktop computers, 108 monitors and two laptops.

The devices will be repaired and refurbished by social enterprises before being distributed to people with disabilities and other digitally marginalized residents across Gyeonggi Province. Proceeds of about 10.74 million won generated through the recycling process will be transferred in full to the Community Chest of Korea for use in supporting digitally vulnerable groups.

Before the donation, all hard drives were physically punctured under staff supervision to prevent data leaks.

The center has participated in the Give-Com Campaign since 2022, donating aging equipment every year. The cumulative total through this year stands at 1,840 units.

Kim Hyeon-gon, director of the center, said passing on outdated equipment rather than discarding it is "an act of sharing that simultaneously advances resource circulation, environmental protection and the narrowing of the digital divide." He added that the center would continue donating computing equipment to improve digital access for information-vulnerable groups.