Korea District Heating Corp. President Kim Sung-hoi

President Kim Sung-hoi of Korea District Heating Corp. (KDHC) said on Dec. 18 in his inaugural speech at a ceremony held at the company’s auditorium in Sungnam City, just outside Seoul that he will strive to boost the collective energy distribution in the country and the development of the national energy projects. He said he will also expand new business areas for KDHC to secure its future growth engines, while tightening management to phase out negative views that the people have on KDHC’s loose debt management and win public support by doing its social duty in full.

The Happiness Sharing Group of KDHC distributes “happy energy,” which changes the world by transferring energy of hope and sharing to the socially marginalized. 

– Supports operational costs of 22 child care centers under the One Company for One District Child Care Center program, facility maintenance, teachers, and cultural experience programs 

– Provides scholarships to children of low income families and the working poor 

– Supports school meal fees, school uniform costs, commodities, study material fees, and mentoring service for children of dysfunctional families

Delivery of Energy of Sharing 

– Serves free meals, delivers lunch boxes, sponsors outings, and prepares kimchi for seniors living alone 

– Supports medical costs, facility renovation, and tutoring service for abused children 

– Participates in volunteer work to help rural villages under the One Company for Three Villages program and buys regional specialties 

– Supports babies’ first birthday parties and Korean language education 

– Supports heating expenses (briquettes and heating costs) for the disadvantaged during winter 

– Supports commodities for those in need during holidays and the year-end season in connection with traditional markets 

– Joins volunteer works with District Heating Friends (a meeting of residents who love KDHC) 

– Donates blood for children with rare and incurable diseases

Delivery of Energy of Green 

– Implements the One Company for One Water Stream in the communities 

– Stages environmental protection and energy saving campaigns 

– Operates green experience programs through branch offices

A scene of a New Year's gathering that took place at KDHC

 headquarters on Jan. 2. (photos: KDHC)

KDHC was set up in 1987 to supply heat to a number of districts in Seoul including East Ichon-dong, the Banpo, area and Yeouido. In May 1992 the company became a state-owned company according to the Collective Energy Business Law and from 1991, the company began to supply heat to cities around Seoul and further including Seongnam City, Goyang City, Suwon, Yongin, Paju, Gyeonggi Province and Daegu Metropolitan City, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Kimhae, and Yangsan, South Gyeongsang Province.

 The company’s main business lines include collective energy production, delivery, and distribution and related businesses, the installation of heat supply facilities, and the operation and use of solar power and energy from waste materials and other new recycled energy businesses and related businesses. The related businesses include R&D on new technologies.

The major areas of operation include cooling and heating, power supply, and new and recycled energy business and supplementary businesses.

The new CEO is a former legislator from Hwasung, Gyeonggi Province and a graduate of the Military Academy, earning a master’s degree in diplomacy and security at Yonsei University Graduate School. He also was awarded a doctorate in political diplomacy at Kyongnam University. After retiring from the military as colonel, he successfully ran in the 18th parliamentary elections and served on the National Defense Committee, the Environment Labor Committee, the Budget and Accounts Special Committee, and the Knowledge Economy Committee of the National Assembly, and was also appointed a chair professor at Suwon University after a stint as a legislator.