S. Korean organisation ACE takes on environmental issues in Asia

SEOUL, Apr 17, 2019, The Korea Times. Air pollution has become a central political and societal issue here after the concentration of fine dust particles increased this year to record levels in many parts of the country. The government recently passed emergency measures in order to take on what it described as the “social disaster.” These include a $2.65 billion emergency fund, reported The Korea Times.

It also wants to make citizens more aware of environmental issues. The head of a recently-launched business said he will actively promote corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to integrate growing environmental concerns with its business operations and aid to needy people in underdeveloped countries.

“We regard the growing air pollution issue in Korea as a wake-up call in terms of focusing more attention on environmental issues not just at home but in countries which need help. We are planning to initiate lots of relevant campaigns in countries in Southeast Asia,” Lee Young-jong, the founder of Action for a Clean Environment (ACE), said in a recent interview.

Lee, a graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, near downtown Chicago, said the organization plans to launch its first “Wash Your Hands” program in Myanmar. Details have yet to be finalized, however, Lee said ACE is considering partnering with South Korean companies operating there for the program.

The main aim of the initiative is to boost awareness and better educate the public on the importance of hand washing in order to achieve a cleaner and healthier Myanmar, Lee said.

“The core points that ACE will focus on are ethical responsibilities and philanthropic responsibilities. We will try to avoid harm by offering various assistance programs consistently and in a timely fashion. The second point is calling for us to provide resources to communities in order to improve the quality of life. Good hand washing practices are needed for protection against disease.”

Lee said that hand washing is still not seen as a priority by many and that is especially true for children in underdeveloped countries. Data from the World Health Organization said one of the leading causes of death of children in some developing countries is diarrhea with over hundreds of thousands dying every year due to unhygienic practices.

By Kim Yoo-chul