LG Electronics said Wednesday that it will hire up to 800 disabled people by next year, double its existing number of disabled staff.

The hiring will be part of the company’s plan to employ workers in the fields of research and development, production, marketing and business support until June 15. Applications will be accepted at the firm’s website (www.lge.co.kr).

“LG Electronics expects to meet the demand for companies to have more social responsibility and take the lead in providing workplaces for physically and mentally disadvantaged people,” said an LG official.

Those who pass the interview will receive a four-week training course organized by the Korea Employment Agency for the Disabled before being hired by the company.

In a related effort, LG Electronics plans to improve its infrastructure for employment of the underprivileged, its officials said.

It will expand the task boundaries for disabled people and also increase the number of production lines where they could work, said LG officials.

In a separate event related to corporate social responsibility, Samsung Electronics held a large-scale donation event to help schools and charities in the U.S. late Tuesday.

The company donated a total of $1.5 million through the event, which took place in Manhattan, New York.

At the charity occasion, former U.S. President Bill Clinton received an award for his contribution. Other well-known stars such as actress Demi Moore, NFL football player Dan Marino, as well as singer Jason Mraz participated, according to company officials.

By Cho Ji-hyun (sharon@heraldcorp.com)