Korea District Heat Corp. delivers happy energy to Mongolia

People at a village in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia were in an excited mood on September 4. A ceremony was being held to commemorate the opening of a children`s library built by Korea District Heat Corporation. Ten Mongolian children performed a Korean children`s song by waving Korean and Mongolian national flags.

A village resident visiting the ceremony said, "I`m so pleased that a library is built for my grandsons and granddaughters," adding, "Our children had no place to spend time in winter and it`s good to have a place for them to read books and play."

Korea District Heat Corporation began building a children`s library in Mongolia early this year. In 2011, as a part of original development aid of Korea International Cooperation Association, the corporation carried out a regional heat facility modernization project, and had decided to build a children`s library by using a spare space in a machinery room after facilities changes were finished.

In June this year, the heating corporation signed with Ulaanbaatar and Good Neighbors` Mongolian office and revamped the machinery room`s exterior wall while installing tables and benches on the gravel-covered front yard. To ensure children`s safety, it installed a paving block on the street outside the library and also a sidewalk. A voluntary group composed of heating corporation employees also visited the place to join mural painting drawing.

Faced with lack of kindergartens and schools, Ulaanbaatar vigorously welcomed the heating corporation`s library building. Inside the library are 1,500 books and educational videos in Mongolian, Korean and English language. A computer study room was also made with PC donations from the corporation.

The establishment of children`s library in Mongolia is the Korea Heat District Corporation`s first overseas social corporate citizenship activity. It plans to expand such activities further in Mongolia. Temperature in winter times is below 40 degrees in Mongolia, and heating costs are a big problem since many households still live in a traditional Mongolian tent-like house, despite rapid modernization of the country. The corporation visited these tent villages and heating equipment manufacturing companies, and is examining the feasibility of heating facility improvement business.