Korea Line donates eco-friendly planters made from recycled ship ropes

Korea Line, the shipping arm of SM Group, announced Thursday that it had donated eco-friendly planters made from recycled ship ropes, putting into practice the principles of resource circulation and community giving.

On Wednesday, Korea Line delivered 120 planters — made from upcycled ship ropes and planted with Dokdo stonecrop — to children at the affiliated kindergarten of Yeoju University in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, to mark Dokdo Day. Dokdo stonecrop is a plant native to Dokdo. The company said it organized the event so children could tend the plants themselves, naturally developing an appreciation for Korean territory while also learning the importance of environmental protection.

Ship ropes are typically made from synthetic fibers and, if left in or near the ocean, can cause marine pollution and ecosystem damage, making systematic collection and recycling essential. Korea Line supplies used ship ropes to Foresys, a company specializing in the recycling of marine waste, to promote upcycling. The discarded ropes undergo a pretreatment process using eco-friendly technology to remove salt and hazardous substances before being converted into recycled raw materials.

The company said it found particular meaning in the fact that industrial waste — which might otherwise simply pollute the ocean — had been reborn as an educational tool conveying both environmental awareness and the value of Korean territory to children. Korea Line said it plans to continue strengthening its environmental, social and governance management by donating upcycled rope products imbued with new purpose.

"Protecting the marine environment is one of the social responsibilities a shipping company must fulfill," Korea Line CEO Min Sang-ki said. "Even industrial waste can become a means of realizing public value through upcycling. We will consistently introduce a variety of ESG activities to advance the values of environmental stewardship, mutual growth and sharing."

Meanwhile, Korea Line also held a "Plogging Day" event near its Sinchon office in Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, on Oct. 29. About 20 employees spent roughly two hours walking around the office building and the areas near Sinchon Station and Ewha Womans University Station, collecting litter. Korea Line runs Plogging Day as a year-round standing campaign.