Samsung Electronics' employees in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, donate blood in one of the Korean Red Cross' blood donation buses, Wednesday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung Electronics' logo / Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics gave four blood donation buses to the Korean Red Cross, which were purchased with funds donated by its employees as part of their efforts to contribute to the blood supply in the country, according to the company, Wednesday.

The company said its employees voluntarily donated 10 percent of the special incentives they received in December last year to raise over 10 billion won ($7.5 million), and delivered the money to the Korean Red Cross for use in purchasing new blood donation buses with the hope of addressing the country's blood shortage.

Amid blood shortages every winter, the number of blood donations has plummeted due to COVID-19 and many surgeries have been canceled due to the lack of blood. Noticing that a large number of blood donations is essential for the people, employees decided to donate some of their incentives, Samsung said.

In addition to the donation of the buses, Samsung has conducted a blood donation campaign since 1996, encouraging employees to participate in donating their blood. Samsung said that over 7,000 employees donate their blood every year. This year by October, 5,200 employees of Samsung Electronics have donated their blood. Including the employees of Samsung Group's other affiliates, around 11,000 employees donated blood by October.

Samsung Electronics' employees in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, wait in line to donate their blood in one of the Korean Red Cross' new blood donation buses, Wednesday. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics

The Korean Red Cross, a state-run non-profit organization, currently operates 93 blood donation buses from its 15 blood service centers nationwide. Among those buses, about 10 need to be replaced every year due to aging, but only six had been replaced per year due to the lack of funding.

The aging blood donation buses have been a problem that prevents the smooth supply of blood due to safety problems.

With the donation of the buses, Samsung expects it can contribute even more to the country's blood supply this winter.

"Blood donations conducted by groups of students, soldiers and office workers via blood donation buses are very important in terms of the blood supply, accounting for 33 percent of the total number of blood donations here," a Samsung spokesman said. "In addition, the blood donation experience on the donation buses has led many blood donors to voluntarily donate their blood on a regular basis."

Shin Hee-young, chairman of the Korean Red Cross, said, "Participation in blood donation has plummeted due to COVID-19 amid the decrease in blood donors caused by the low birthrate and the increase in blood recipients due to aging."

"With the blood shortage issue becoming a serious problem to the country, the new donation buses and continuous blood donation by Samsung employees will greatly help improve blood donations," the chairman added.

Samsung added that it will continue to support the Korean Red Cross so that the organization can replace 40 existing buses with new ones over the next 10 years.