By Lee Kap-soo

The Korean-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KGCCI) hosted “140 Guide Walkers” joint CSR event on September 16, 2023, at Ttukseom Hangang Park (Riverside stage) in Seoul, South Korea. 

In celebration of the 140th anniversary of Korean and German diplomatic relations, nearly 300 colleagues and partners from KGCCI and its member companies served as guide walkers for individuals with visual impairments at the 9th Harmony Marathon with Visually Impaired, organized by Seoul Disabled Sports Association. 

The “KGCCI Joint CSR 140 Guide Walkers” event has been a collaborative effort of KGCCI and its members and partners. Notable figures of the event included Jörn Beissert, Deputy Head of Mission at German Embassy to Seoul, Holger Gerrmann, German Chairperson of KGCCI and CEO of Porsche Korea, Martin Henkelmann, President and CEO of KGCCI,  HaJoong Chung Vice Chairperson of KGCCI and President & CEO of Siemens Seoul, May Young-Mi Kim, President of Henkel Korea, JiSook Lee, CFO of Bayer Korea, Jung-Wook Seo, CEO of TÜV SÜD Korea, WooKyu Kim, Managing Director & Representative Director of Merck Korea and other KGCCI board members.

In the opening ceremony, Jörn Beissert, Deputy Head of Mission at German Embassy to Seoul gave a congratulatory speech by stating, “It's great that the German business community in Korea is actively supporting individuals with visual impairments. I am delighted to be a part of the '140 Guide Walkers' program personally. Together, it's even more enjoyable!”

In a remarkable show of support, about 30 German companies and partners, including Adidas Korea, Armacell Korea, BASF Company, Bayer Korea, BDO Sunghyun, Continental Automotive Korea, Daimler Truck Korea, Deutsche Bank AG Seoul Branch, ECOVIS Hanshin, Festo Korea, Goethe-Institut, Henkel Korea, Leschaco Korea, Logwin Air & Ocean Korea, Merck Korea, Munich Re Korea, Porsche Korea, Prettl SWH Korea, RIKUTEC Asia, RWE Renewables Korea, Sartorius Korea Biotech, Siemens Korea, TRUMPF Korea, TÜV SÜD Korea participated in this initiative. 

To commemorate the 140th anniversary of Korea-Germany, KGCCI donated 140 white canes for visually impaired people and all participation fees were dedicated to enhancing transportation services for the visually impaired. BDO Sunghyun donated 5 million won and Deutsche Bank AG Seoul Branch contributed 4.3 million won to assist the people with visual impairments. 

Henkel Korea supported the cause by donating 3,400 products to all participants of the 9th Harmony Marathon. TÜV SÜD Korea, Adidas and Daimler Truck Korea also donated gifts for the event. Meanwhile, Bayer Korea organized event booths to showcase their products and engage with participants.

Hyun-Nam Park, Korean Chairperson of KGCCI, and Managing Director and Branch Manager of Deutsche Bank AG Seoul Branch expressed, “Together, we pave the way for a brighter future, where Korean and German corporate responsibility and social impact walk hand in hand, leading to a more inclusive and caring world.”