'Win-Win Watermelon' Cools the Heat... Busan Chamber Brings Shipbuilding Contractors and Partners Together

Six Primary Contractors and 65 Partner Companies Join 'Win-Win Bok Day'

The Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chairman Yang Jaesaeng) hosted the 'Win-Win Bok Day' on July 15, as part of the '2026 Busan Shipbuilding Industry Regional Win-Win Gap Reduction Support Project' supported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Busan City. The event brought together members of both primary contractors and partner companies in the shipbuilding industry to celebrate Chobok, the first of the dog days of summer.

This initiative was organized to narrow the gap in workplace welfare by fostering communication and harmony between employees of primary contractors and partner firms, and by providing watermelon to workers laboring in the intense summer heat.

The Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry is holding the "Win-Win Bok Day" to celebrate the beginning of the hottest period of summer, jointly attended by primary shipbuilding contractors and partner company members. This event is part of the "2026 Busan Shipbuilding Industry Regional Win-Win Gap Reduction Support Project," supported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Busan City.

The shipbuilding industry is characterized by outdoor work, high-temperature processes, and long hours of physical labor. In particular, during the summer, ensuring sufficient water intake and rest to prevent heat-related illnesses is crucial, which has led to a sustained call for expansion of on-site welfare programs.

The event saw the participation of six primary contractors—SB Sunbo Co., Ltd., Oriental Precision & Engineering Co., Ltd., Daeyang Electric Co., Ltd., KTE Co., Ltd., Panasia Co., Ltd., and Donghwa Entec Co., Ltd.—along with 65 internal and external partner companies. The Busan Chamber prepared a total of 330 watermelons, which were shared during lunch and break times in company cafeterias and at worksites across the participating locations.

An employee from one of the partner companies who took part in the event commented, "Although we work in the same space, there have been times when an awkward distance existed because of the distinction between primary contractors and partner companies. Sharing watermelon and conversation together helped reduce that psychological barrier, which made this experience meaningful."

This event went beyond providing seasonal welfare support, serving as an opportunity for natural communication and trust-building between main contractors and partner companies. In recent industrial workplaces, not only wages and welfare, but also organizational communication and a win-win culture are increasingly recognized as core factors in building a sustainable industrial ecosystem.

Kim Taekyun, Head of Public Business at the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, stated, "A win-win partnership cannot be achieved by declarations alone; it is only possible when we repeatedly communicate and empathize together in the field. We will actively support the spread of a win-win culture across various industry sectors, beginning with this initiative in the shipbuilding industry."

Building on the momentum of 'Win-Win Bok Day,' the Busan Chamber plans to further expand on-site welfare programs where primary contractors and partner companies participate together. In addition to seasonal welfare support tailored to extreme heat and cold, a variety of programs—including cultural and sports experiences—will be implemented to enhance the effectiveness of the regional win-win gap reduction initiative and improve partner companies' sense of workplace welfare.

The Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry is hosting a "Win-Win Bok Day" for Chobok, where members of shipbuilding primary contractors and partner companies participate together, as part of the "2026 Busan Shipbuilding Industry Regional Win-Win Gap Reduction Support Project" supported by the Ministry of Employment and Labor and Busan City on the 15th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.