LG supports Korean War veterans in Ethiopia, US, Thailand

LG Electronics said Monday it had provided food, daily necessities and financial support to 54 surviving Korean War veterans in Ethiopia, the only African nation that dispatched ground troops to the 1950-53 war.

Since 2013, the Korean tech giant has provided scholarship for 230 descendants of Korean War veterans in Ethiopia. It has been also operating the LG-KOICA Hope Technical and Vocational Education and Training College in the country’s capital, Addis Ababa, with the Korea International Cooperation Agency.

Established in 2014, the vocational school provides free training and IT and electric engineering education, along with lunch and transportation so that students can focus on their studies.

A total of 541 students, including many descendants of the war veterans, have graduated the school so far and have either secured jobs or launched startups, according to LG Electronics. This year, 70 students are expected to graduate.

LG’s support for Korean War veterans extends beyond Africa. In the US, LG’s manufacturing plant in Tennessee donated washing machines and dryers and provided financial aid to 30 veteran families since 2020.

In Thailand, LG donated air conditioners to a housing assistance project for local Korean War veterans, in partnership with the South Korean Embassy in Thailand and Thai-Korean War Veterans Association.

In Korea, the company’s “Life’s Good” volunteer group has used artificial intelligence to restore old photos of war veterans to bring their youthful appearances back to life, and presented the imags to the Korean War Veterans Association.

The company is also developing an AI-powered interactive chatbot that introduces foreign veterans from 12 countries, including the Netherlands, Denmark and the Philippines, and their involvement in key battles and operations.

“Through social responsibility efforts that combine technology and compassion, we will remember and thank the noble sacrifices and dedications of Korean War veterans,” said Yoon Dae-sik, senior vice president of external relations at LG Electronics.