- Funded by a KRW 10 billion investment, a 108ha forest is to be built in Jincheon-gun, North Chungcheong Province over the 10 next years.
- MOBIS takes an active role in addressing the growing calls from within society for industry to meet the climate change challenge head on. As part of its efforts, MOBIS is steering a course to lead eco-friendly management in the automotive parts industry.
- MOBIS, along with Jincheon-gun, North Chungcheong Province and the National Nature Trust, has set out on the ‘MOBIS Forest’ project (referred to as ‘Mobis Forest’ below).

On January 19th, an MOU was signed by CEO Ho-Suck Jun of Mobis, County Governor Young-hoon You of Jincheon-gun and President Jea-gyeong Jeon of the National Nature Trust at Jincheon-gun Office, and a groundbreaking ceremony, to mark the start of the project work itself, is due to be held in the first half of 2012. Over the next 10 years, a total of KRW 10 billion will be invested in the project to help build the 108ha forest by Chopyeongho Lake in Jincheon-gun, under the overall theme of ‘a happy forest for everyone’.

MOBIS plans to consult with residents and the County Council of Jincheon-gun in order to gather their opinions with regards to the theme selection for the project itself. The actual design for the forest and the species of trees chosen will be determined after first receiving advice from outside experts on possible changes, after the forest is built, to the soil and tree species.

The new forest is expected to be a rest area for Jincheon-gun residents, a place for children to experience and learn the ecosystem, a trail, and a bike trekking course. There are set to be various experiential programs put on, such as those under the concepts of ‘a healing forest’ and ‘forest learning’. A festival for seasonal fruit trees and musical concerts should also enrich and enliven the experiences of visitors to the forest.

Events such as ‘my own trees’ and ‘lovely family trees’ will be held regularly, so that visitors can have the opportunities to plant trees themselves. The management and labor of MOBIS envisage creating ‘a forest for management-labor partnership’ and for the forest to be tended by interested parties, including its suppliers.

As part of its wider policy on corporate social responsibility, MOBIS resolved to build ‘MOBIS Forest’ to meet head-on the widespread demands with society for companies to deal with climate change, a global issue garnering increasing attention worldwide. In line with such efforts, Hyundai Motor Company has executed the ‘Hyundai Green Zone Project,’ aimed at turning Inner Mongolia, a largely desert regions from which the yellow dust originates, into grassland. Along with this long-term green project, MOBIS has also conducted its own social contribution activities for environmental regeneration, sustainability and protection within Korea itself.

MOBIS first established its plan for the ‘MOBIS Forest’ project last year, at which time it publicly invited interested regions to apply as potential candidates. Among the four final candidates chosen, Jincheon-gun was selected as the site for ‘MOBIS Forest.’ A benefit of this site was that, within its grounds, Chopyeongho Lake has significant ecological value, which could be effectively harmonized within a large thematic forest environment that preserved the lake while generating increased ecosystem diversity.

Furthermore, in terms of access, the nearby Jungbu Highway makes Jincheon-gun an excellent choice. Another winning factor was that MOBIS has a factory for electronic and electric parts in Jincheon-gun.

County Governor Young-hoon You of Jincheon-gun said “we have called our region ‘Saenggeo Jincheon’, a name which carries the meaning of this as a good place to live. ‘MOBIS Forest’ will help Jincheon live up to its name.” He also said “we will build a forest that not only Jincheon residents, but all Koreans will want to visit.”

CEO Ho-Suck Jun of MOBIS said “’MOBIS Forest’ is a project to establish an environmentally friendly community along with residents,” and added “we are dedicated to playing a leading in the eco-friendly management of the automotive parts industry by continuously expanding these kinds of activities, including by reducing carbon emissions, and developing environment-friendly parts.”

MOBIS has conducted socially responsible activities in ‘Green Move’ through ‘MOBIS Forest’ as well as in ‘Safe Move,’ through projects such as ‘Clear Bubble Umbrella’ and ‘Kids Auto Park.’