Seoul, Korea ¶ KT announced on April 19 that the largest telecom operator in Korea would receive applications for this year’s beneficiaries for its charity program for the hearing impaired. As part of this program, the company will hold on April 20 an event at the Olleh Square in Seoul’s Kwanghwamun to auction off smartphones previously owned by celebrities and buy digital hearing aid devices with the proceeds.

At the auction event, a total of 16 early-adopter entertainers, including Lee Se-eun, the female TV actor famous for the 2003 drama Dae Jang Geum, will sell off their smartphones and other memorabilia. Ms. Lee said on the event, “I am glad to be part of this charity event because I could help out, albeit in small ways, hearing-impaired children who may get hurt easily from insensitive remarks on their inabilities.”

KT’s charity program for hard-of-hearing children has been going on for 10 years. Since 2003, as many as 330 children have received surgeries such as artificial cochlear and auditory brainstem implants under this program. The company plans to add the artificial middle-ear implants this year, thereby increasing the number of beneficiaries.

The application deadline is May 31 and anyone wishing to be considered for the program may fill out the online form available on the corporate website www.kt.com.

Sean Chung (press@whowired.com)