Kim Jung-ju, chief executive of NXC Corporation, the holding company of South Korea’s largest gaming company Nexon Co., on Tuesday offered to donate more than 100 billion won ($92.8 million) from personal wealth to help build children’s rehabilitation hospitals and fund startups.

In a statement sent out to reporters on Tuesday, Kim said that he will donate some of wealth of his own and family to the society to start afresh.

Kim was indicted without detention two years ago but was cleared by the appeals court on charges of bribery in relation to former senior prosecutor Jin Kyung-joon’s purchase of Nexon shares in 2005 before the company went public.

“I vowed to myself after the first court ruling that I would live paying off my indebtedness to the society,” he said.

His company separately pledged to build its second children’s rehabilitation hospital after building its first one in Sangam-dong in Mapo District, western Seoul. Nexon affiliates also established Nexon Foundation in February for corporate social responsibility activities.

Kim also vowed not to keep the company within the family.

“I feel a sense of great social obligation as chief of a company with about 5,000 employees at home and abroad,” Kim said. “The company will be able to continuously promote innovation and seek healthy growth when it maintains transparent and horizontal corporate culture.”

Kim will announce details of his social contribution plans such as total amount and method after consultation with experts and preparations are complete.

Nexon became the first in the gaming industry to be designated as a big business group in September last year as its assets reached the category threshold of 5 trillion won. NXC is the largest shareholder of Nexon, which is listed on the Japanese stock market and fully owns shares of Nexon Korea, which controls affiliates including Nexon Networks Corp. and Neople Corp.

By Lee Sun-hee and Lee Eun-joo

[ⓒ Pulse by Maeil Business Newspaper & mk.co.kr, All rights reserved]