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Upbit Operator Doubles Down on ESG Management

Web3 & Enterprise·April 19, 2023, 3:30 AM

Dunamu, the operator of the popular Korean crypto exchange Upbit, issued a press release on Friday stating it will donate 500 million KRW (~$385,000) to the Korean Red Cross in support of recovery efforts for the recent wildfire damage in Gangneung, a city located east of Seoul.

man standing in red ‘Red Cross’ jacket
©Pexels/Matthias Zomer

 

ESG management

This is part of its efforts to double down on its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management, according to Korean economic media Biz World.

 

Wildfire recovery efforts

Last year, Dunamu also donated 3 billion KRW (~$2.3 million) to Hope Bridge, a disaster relief association in Korea, to support the swift recovery from wildfires that ravaged areas near the cities of Uljin and Samcheok.

 

Metaverse and NFTs for plant conservation

Under the slogan “climate change action,” Dunamu is engaging in various projects. Last month, the exchange operator launched the 2nd foRest campaign in collaboration with the Korea Forest Service and the Korea Forest Welfare Institute.

The purpose of this campaign was to encourage citizens to participate in recovering wildfire-affected areas. Every tree planted in Dunamu’s metaverse platform 2nd Block led to the actual planting of two trees in the ravaged areas. More than 30,000 trees were planted through the project, and moreover, 10,000 of the participants were rewarded with coupons that can be exchanged for saplings.

Dunamu has also made endangered plant conservation efforts with the Korea Arboreta and Gardens Institute. Upbit NFT Marketplace showcased ten endangered plants in NFT editions.

Veronica Star Light, one of the editions revealed during the first airdrop, sold out within a day, reflecting its popularity. Dunamu will use the fees collected from these transactions to establish a fund for endangered plant conservation.

 

Protecting plant diversity

Dunamu Chairman Song Chi-hyung said the company has been studying various means to utilize its technology and resources to contribute to society, and that it will continue to make multifaceted efforts to protect plant diversity.

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Web3 & Enterprise·

Sep 12, 2023

Entrepreneurs to Discuss Blockchain Investment Opportunities at Korea Investment Week 2023

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Policy & Regulation·

Aug 01, 2023

Bank of Korea Explores Jeju, Busan, and Incheon for Citizen-Centric CBDC Pilot Test

Bank of Korea Explores Jeju, Busan, and Incheon for Citizen-Centric CBDC Pilot TestThe Bank of Korea (BOK) is reportedly reviewing three potential locations for a pilot test of a citizen-centric payment system utilizing the Korean Won central bank digital currency (CBDC). Instead of choosing Seoul, the nation’s capital city, the BOK is considering Jeju, Busan, and Incheon for the pilot. That’s according to local tech news outlet IT Chosun.The three cities have been selected as possible testbeds, and discussions with commercial banks are ongoing to move the project forward. Once a city is chosen, the BOK will collaborate with local retailers, including hypermarkets, to test the CBDC payment and distribution system.Photo by Ethan Brooke on UnsplashRegional currency modelThe CBDC test will be limited to a specific area, operating similarly to regional currencies issued by municipal governments to stimulate local economies. The CBDC wallet app will be available to all citizens, but its usage will be restricted to retailers in the designated area. Presently, Jeju, Busan, and Incheon already have their own regional currencies managed by local banks and financial institutions.However, implementing the CBDC system poses technical challenges. In remote tests last year, the BOK discovered that transaction speeds for small transfers were slower compared to traditional payment processing providers in regions outside the Seoul Metropolitan Area.Against this backdrop, the BOK seeks to recruit an unusually large number of tech experts in order to build a large-scale system for small payments. The bank has been actively hiring individuals for this purpose since the beginning of the year.CBDC test next yearWith the test scheduled for next year, the BOK aims to promptly select the test destination based on the system’s expected performance, estimated user numbers, and potential economic impact.While Busan is more or less shunned due to its large population, Jeju is emerging as a preferred choice. However, the final decision has been tentatively postponed due to internal issues within the BOK.Following the pilot test results, the BOK may gradually broaden the scope of the CBDC system. Meanwhile, in a similar development, China began its CBDC pilots in 2020 and has now expanded its CBDC use to 26 cities across 17 provinces.According to a BOK official, the Korean central bank is making seamless preparation for the test and engaging in discussions with commercial banks to explore their operating models and devise effective implementation strategies.

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Web3 & Enterprise·

Oct 27, 2023

Intella X and CARV Team Up to Revolutionize Web3 Gaming

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