▶KT&G (CEO Bok-in Baek)’s Executive Managing Director Kim Young-ki, center, poses with Korea Tobacco Growers Organization Chairman Kim Sam-soo, left, and Tobacco Production Stabilizing Foundation General Manager Baek Jong-man at the firm's training center in Suanbo, North Chungcheong Province, April 21.

The tobacco manufacturer donated 400 million won for local tobacco farmers to financially sponsor their medical checkups and children's education.

KT&G (CEO Bok-in Baek) will donate 400 million won (approx. $353,000) for the health of tobacco farmers. The support shall be used for around 1,100 low-income local tobacco farmers to financially sponsor their medical checkups and children's education.

It is well known that tobacco farming mainly depends on manual labor with high intensity and is difficult to be mechanized. In particular, the average age of farmers engaged in Korean domestic tobacco is higher than that of other crops and the farmers also suffer from lack of labor due to decreasing agricultural population.

KT&G is the only cigarette company in Korea purchasing domestic leaf tobacco and protects farmers in many ways. The Company has provided 1,250 million won to sponsor farmers’ medical checkups and children’s school uniform since year 2013.

KT&G pays for 30% of expected sales revenue of leaf tobacco between April and June in advance for farmers. Employees also have volunteered to support harvest during summer season with labor shortage for the last 11 years.

Young-ki Kim, Executive Managing Director of Raw Material Division said, “KT&G has participated in a variety of support activities as a partner of tobacco leaf farmers. In line with the management philosophy, ‘together with people’, the company will endeavor for the win-win with tobacco leaf farmers.