Taehwa Welfare Foundation Expands Patriotic Social Contribution Partnership with Hyungji Elite and Others on Its 105th Anniversary

The First Welfare Institution Established on the Site of the March 1st Independence Movement
Marking 105 Years of Historic Identity

In front of the 'March 1st Independence Movement Historical Site' marker stone at the Taehwa Building located in Insadong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the Taehwa Welfare Foundation is situated, is a photo of Junho Choi, CEO of Hyungji Elite (Provided by Hyungji Elite).

Taehwa Welfare Foundation, the first social welfare institution in Korea, announced on July 16 that it will begin full-scale joint projects by entering into a partnership with its major partner company, Hyungji Group, to carry on its historic identity as a site of the independence movement and to strengthen welfare projects for marginalized groups.

Marking its 105th anniversary this year, Taehwa Welfare Foundation has embodied the spirit of national independence through social work and sharing, serving as a foundation for the history of social welfare in Korea. The foundation plans to maximize the synergy of social contributions by building on this historic symbolism and patriotic spirit, and through alliances with major partner companies.

In fact, Insadong in Jongno-gu, Seoul, where the headquarters of Taehwa Welfare Foundation (Taehwa Building) is located, is the historic site where the 'March 1st Independence Declaration' was officially proclaimed by national representatives on March 1, 1919, and shouts of "Long Live Korean Independence" rang out. After the Taehwagwan (Taehwa Hall) was shut down by Japanese authorities, the Methodist Mission purchased the land in 1921 to establish the 'Taehwa Women's Center,' providing support for marginalized women and children. This center is recorded as the first social welfare institution in Korea.

Since then, Taehwa Welfare Foundation has carried out a wide range of contribution activities both domestically and internationally, underpinned by active support from like-minded companies. Among its core co-prosperity partners, Hyungji Fashion Group and its subsidiary Hyungji Elite have joined these efforts, helping to vitalize the foundation’s contribution projects. These companies have steadily carried out donation and sharing events together to assist children, adolescents, and vulnerable groups.

In particular, Hyungji Elite has moved beyond simple donations to actively engage in regionally integrated contribution activities that combine culture, leisure, and education. For example, last year the company partnered with Incheon United FC, a sports team based in Incheon where its headquarters is located, to organize cultural and leisure support programs. These programs invited children and adolescents from multicultural and single-parent families, who are often excluded from such opportunities in the Incheon area, to attend football games. Additionally, Hyungji Elite provided support kits and goods featuring its products, such as Will Be Work Wear, gifting children with meaningful memories.

Hyungji Fashion Group has also donated apparel from its leading brands such as Crocodile Lady, Chatelaine, and Olivia Hassler to jointly organize bazaars with Taehwa Welfare Foundation. The proceeds from these bazaars have been used by the foundation to support the academic and living needs of adolescents from low-income families and to fund projects such as the establishment of libraries and improvement of study environments, thereby helping to strengthen the educational safety net.

Through this ongoing collaboration with proactive corporate social responsibility partners, Taehwa Welfare Foundation plans to develop an advanced 'corporate partnership-based social contribution model' that goes beyond simple, one-off materials donations to encompass both emotional self-reliance for marginalized groups and the building of a global safety net.

The foundation explained that it is developing its collaborations with corporations into a sustainable system of social contribution, in order to carry on both the historic value and the public nature of social welfare. By combining its many years of experience in social welfare projects with the social responsibility capabilities of corporations, the foundation aims to establish a broader platform for sharing and support.

A representative of Taehwa Welfare Foundation said, "In this space imbued with the noble spirit of those who struggled to save the country, we have been able to expand our positive influence through solid partnerships with domestic companies such as Hyungji. We will continue to uphold our historic identity as a patriotic foundation, and we will foster close corporate partnerships into Korea’s leading, sustainable social contribution initiatives, bringing sharing and support to the most marginalized corners of our society."

A representative from Hyungji Elite added, "We are deeply honored to be able to continue partnering in the noble sharing efforts of Taehwa Welfare Foundation. Going forward, we will spare no effort or resources to actively support the foundation’s co-prosperity projects and assistance for underprivileged groups both in Korea and abroad."

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