Social Service
for Regional Communities
- KHNP out to win hearts of communities where power plants are located


The Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Corp. launched its medium-long-term promotion plan for regional joint community management under its slogan to do its regional and social responsibility for regions where its power plants are located.
KHNP plans to build a base for its campaign for regional joint community management by securing funds and the policy direction. The medium-term plan calls for the development of region and its culture to vitalize those regions and in the long-term plan, the company will provide continuous support for regional development and social service to enhance its relations with regional societies so that nuclear power plants may find home in those regions.
KHNP, since its current president Lee Jung-jae took office in April last year, announced that the regional joint community management is one of President Lee's management plans and in order to promote the plan, the company set up a special department and in June, 2004, "regional social service team" was launched, winning support from regional societies with its continuous service to them. The giant utility firm supplies 40 percent of total power in Korea.
KHNP will try to do more than what is prescribed in the plan for the sake of regional development with diversified program dedicated to social development so that regional societies and nuclear power plants will be united as one.
The regional joint community management integrated promotion plan is aimed at bringing co-existence and co-prosperity for the company and regional societies by contributing to the development of regional societies surrounding nuclear power plants.
The purpose of the plan is to win the support of regional societies where nuclear power plants are located enabling nuclear power plants to secure social acceptance and settle down in those regions. KHNP will do its duty and role to secure support and trust from regional societies and also become a "good" company to the people and regional societies through social service activities.
The plan will be promoted in five steps. The first step will focus on looking back at past records and find out problems and set up the policy direction. The second step will involve building a base for policy promotion and renovate the system. The third step is designed to implement policies with material and moral support. The fourth step will deal with the acceptance of the company as a member of regional communities, reduction of civil complaints and gain acceptance. The fifth step is continuation of nuclear power generation business.
To look at the operational plan in detail. They first set up the regional social service team and operate it from June, 2004. The social service team will set up its social service plan and put it in practice. A program and training will be carried out to boost team members' awareness for social service.
The company will hold events for unity with local community and participate in regional cultural events.
Through commissioned research services, the company will find its policy direction for its regional joint community management. The company will show methods and promotional direction of its social service work and regional development.
The regional joint community management council was set up in August, last year and it is in the process of developing the management information system for the joint community. It will be drawn up from Dec., 2004 and April, this year.
In December, last year, the homepage for the social service team was set up and launched the publicity for social service. KHNP has also been putting in some of its effort to revise laws governing peripheries of power plants. It has also been trying to secure support funds for power plant areas in an effort to stabilize the operation of power plants.
The KHNP Social Service Team has 14 units around the country including five social service units, one medical service unit and 8 regional service units. The social service units are attached with the management operation headquarters, power generation headquarters, the business headquarters, the radioactive waste control center, and the environment technology institute. The medical service unit is attached to the radioactive health institute. Four regional service units are attached to nuclear power generation headquarters and one each to Han River Hydro Power, Gangnung Hydro Power, Nuclear Power Education Institute and the Radioactive Waste Control Office.
Employees of KHNP kick in around 25 million won to Love Fund a month; 6,303 employees out of 7,011 have been registered as supporters, totaling about 90 percent. The company pays matching grand to funds donated by employees. Around 3,500 employees volunteered for the social service team. All units have their own sister villages to provide effective social services. The company has been trying to find themes and love sharing between itself and regions to go along with its characteristics and regional special features. The company linked its social service work with those of outside social service workers and social welfare units of local autonomous organizations. Social service activities have been balanced between moral and material support.
In 2004, the social service team conducted a variety of social service work. They made regional tours and provided medical services including cancer, blood tests and general medical checkups. They also provided medication also based on the results of the checkups. Around 527 residents in Buan, Gangnung and Goesan had medical checks.
The team also helped out poor youths. They visited 241 villages with sisterhood relations and provided living expenses. They provided money for groceries, and lunch for those young students who cannot afford to bring lunch to schools. They also gave used computers(106 units) and provide free computer training to some 3,890 students. Free gift items also included old clothes some 4,448 items in total.
They also visited welfare organizations including old peoples homes and gave 52.25 million won to 805 senior citizens to support their living expenses, in addition to giving them baths and making food for them. They also repaired electrical facilities and boilers around their houses. Altogether they provided 97.07 million won to some 70 welfare organizations including old people's homes. They also helped out with rural work including rice planting, rice cutting and the participation in rural cultural activities.
This year, the social service team plans to expand its medical service in regional communities around power plants. They will provide medical checkups to the residents in those areas twice a year. About 600 residents in Yonggwang and Kori where nuclear power plants are located will be given medical checks this year. They will also make rounds of poor families in the areas and help them with house chores such as cleaning, washing, bath and repair of electrical facilities. They will also make repairs of their houses. They will also launch. "Happy Together" campaign for the needy youths and senior citizens in those regions holding festivals and music concerts. They will also arrange tie-ups with the needy youths and provide support to them in such areas as delivering foods and living expenses. They will also participate in the efforts to purify water in the communities around power plants and collect garbage on beaches. They also lend their hands to rural work including rice planting, harvesting and collecting fruits. They will also provide free lessons to children of the communities and English lessons in fishery towns near where power plants are located. nw