November 22, 2024

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Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun (second from left), Korea Heritage Service Administrator Choi Eung-chon (third from left), and National Trust for Cultural Heritage Chief Director Kim Jong-gyu (fourth from left) pose for a photo with the handwritten calligraphy by Oh Se-chang during a ceremony held at the Starbucks Hwangudan branch in Seoul on Thursday. (Starbucks Korea)

Starbucks Korea said Thursday it has partnered with the country’s heritage service organizations to intensify its contribution to cultural preservation efforts.

Starbucks Korea, the Korea Heritage Service and the National Trust for Cultural Heritage agreed to establish a national heritage protection fund during a ceremony held at the Starbucks Hwangudan branch in Seoul on Thursday.

The event was attended by Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun, Korea Heritage Service Administrator Choi Eung-chon, National Trust for Cultural Heritage Chief Director Kim Jong-gyu, Starbucks International CEO Brady Brewer and Starbucks Asia Pacific President Emmy Kan.

Under the partnership, Starbucks Korea will donate one billion won (approximately $725,000) over the next five years to the heritage protection fund, using proceeds from the Hwangudan branch and sales of merchandise dedicated to Independence Day.

As part of this partnership, Starbucks Korea has reopened the Hwangudan branch as a community store -- the premium coffee chain’s social responsibility store which donates 300 won from every sale.

Additionally, Starbucks Korea donated three cultural heritage items to the National Trust for Cultural Heritage, including handwritten calligraphy by Oh Se-chang, a former independence activist during the Japanese colonial period (1910-1945). This brings the total to 10 cultural heritage items donated by Starbucks Korea to the heritage agency, including items from Kim Gu and Ahn Chang-ho, both renowned for their roles in the independence movement.

The partnership also includes providing scholarships to a total of 50 students from the Korea National University of Cultural Heritage over the next five years, selecting 10 students annually, and plans to expand Starbucks Korea's national heritage protection campaigns to cultural heritage sites across the country.

“With the reopening of the Hwangudan branch as Starbucks Korea’s 9th community store, we expect our heritage protection efforts, which have continued for 10 years, to grow further,” said Starbucks Korea CEO Sohn Jeong-hyun during the ceremony. “Starbucks will continue to encourage more people to join our endeavors for heritage preservation and to pay attention to the country’s cultural heritage.”

By Hwang Joo-young (flylikekite@heraldcorp.com)