- Gangwon Province co-hosts charity golf event in support of world’s children

Key participants at the IVI Golf Tournament Benefit 2009

The IVI, in partnership with the Gangwon Provincial Government, hosted the IVI Golf Benefit 2009 at Ladena Golf Club in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province on November 11. High1 Resort, a leading leisure and resort operator based in Gangwon, donated 150 million won to the IVI on the occasion of this year’s golf event. 

More than 160 people, including IVI Director-General Dr. John Clemens, and Gangwon Governor Kim Jin-sun, entrepreneurs, foreign diplomats in Seoul, celebrities, and professional golfers, participated in the tournament and reception in support of the IVI.

Since 2005, the IVI has held an annual golf competition to increase public awareness of the Institute's work to bring vaccines to the poor, and to raise funds to support its humanitarian vaccine research. Gangwon agreed to co-host this year’s event to show its commitment to the world’s children and to help advance humanity in anticipation of its planned bid for the right to host the 2018 Winter Olympics in the county of PyeongChang. All proceeds from this event were transferred to the IVI.

In addition to High1 Resort, key contributors to this year’s golf tournament included Korea Hydro Nuclear Power Co., Ladena Golf Club, Lotte Liquor, Sartorius Korea Biotech, and Rickent. The competition was also supported by SBS Golf Channel, which aired 100 spot advertisements promoting the event, and was organized by Servant Com. 

Mr. Min Kyung-wan, Advisor to the IVI Director-General and organizer of the event, said, “The IVI and the Olympics share the common cause of humanity. The Golf Benefit 2009 was convened to provide Korean people, especially from Gangwon, with the opportunity to help improve health and enhance welfare of children in developing countries by assisting in efforts for the development and deployment of new vaccines.”

Meanwhile, the IVI and Gangwon Province exchanged a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for cooperation and conduct of joint research projects in September 2009. Following the MOU, the IVI and Scripps Korea Antibody Institute (SKAI), which is a joint initiative between the province and Scripps Research Institute in the U.S., have agreed in principle to collaborate on the development of vaccines and antibody treatments for infectious diseases.