South Korea’s game developer Nexon Co. will launch a foundation dedicated to corporate social responsibility (CSR) projects, joining industry-wide initiatives to assume a greater role in improving the community.

Nexon said Tuesday that it will hold an event on Feb. 27 to reveal its plan on CSR foundation establishment and new community-improvement programs. It added the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism last month approved its plan for launching a nonprofit organization for CSR projects.

The foundation will take over the firm’s current community-support projects and work to up its social contribution efforts with a special focus on children and young adults, said the company.

In 2012, the game developer donated 200 billion won ($18 million) to the Prume Foundation to help build the country’s first rehabilitation hospital for children and has made additional donations for the hospital’s operations. It also has run various educational programs including Nexon Youth Programming Challenge.

Nexon’s decision comes at a time when the country’s top online game companies have ramped up their efforts to give back to the community. NCsoft Corp. opened the industry’s first cultural foundation in 2012 and pledged to contribute 50 billion won by 2020 on its 20th anniversary in September. Netmarble Games Corp. also launched a cultural foundation on Jan. 23 and vowed to add library and education facilities for the youth at its new corporate building which is under construction.

By Lee Sun-hee and Cho Jeehyun

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