The Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee held its 13th annual Give 'n Race charity run in Busan on Sunday, drawing 20,000 participants and raising a record 1.02 billion won ($750,000) in donations.
Give 'n Race is a charity run that allows participants to contribute through entry fees, which are donated in their names. In addition to the standard participation fee of 50,000 won, this year’s event introduced a “special donation” program, enabling runners to make additional voluntary contributions.
All proceeds will be used to support the establishment of child protection centers and youth cultural facilities, as well as scholarship programs for young athletes.
Participants from across the country took part in the event, which began at the Bexco outdoor plaza, crossed the Gwangan Bridge and finished at Gwangalli Beach.
Runners of all ages joined — the youngest born in 2024 to the eldest in 1949 — reflecting the event’s broad public appeal.
The event was attended by key figures, including Busan Mayor Park Heong-joon; Mathias Vaitl, chairman of the Mercedes-Benz CSR Committee and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea; Hoon-kyu Lee, chairman of the Future for Youth Foundation; and Byung-han Choi, president of Busan MBC.
Various on-site programs, organized in collaboration with partners such as Columbia, Coca-Cola, Dong Suh Foods, the Korea Transportation Safety Authority and SK Telecom, added to the event’s festive atmosphere.
“Give 'n Race has become a meaningful CSR initiative where voluntary participation creates greater value through giving,” Vaitl said. “We will continue efforts to expand the culture of giving and help build a stronger social safety net for future generations.”
Launched in Seoul in 2017, Give 'n Race has grown into one of the company’s flagship CSR programs. With this year’s event, cumulative participation surpassed 165,000, while total donations exceeded 8.6 billion won.
hyejin2@heraldcorp.com
