SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS

On September 1, our company held the awards ceremony for the 6th “Blue Elephant” School and Cyberbullying Prevention Contest (hereinafter referred to as the Blue Elephant Contest) at the National Assembly Experience Center in the National Assembly Building. Over 100 participants attended the event, including dignitaries from various fields, students, awardees, and their families.

The Blue Elephant project aims to nurture positive social values among youth and support the healing process of students affected by cyberbullying. It encompasses five key initiatives: ▲Online and in-person prevention education for elementary, middle, and high school students ▲Psychological counseling for victims’ emotional recovery ▲Campaigns to eradicate cyberbullying ▲Academic research on causes and policy responses ▲Platform development.

The project is led by our company in collaboration with Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, Samsung SDI, Samsung SDS, Samsung Biologics, and Samsung Bioepis.

Launched in 2020, the Blue Elephant Contest celebrates its sixth year and aims to create a peaceful and safe environment for youth. It is open not only to students, but also to teachers, police officers, social workers, youth counselors, and other professionals working to prevent and heal school and cyberbullying. The goal is to spread a culture of nonviolence through shared experiences.

The ceremony included evaluations, remarks from the winners, and the awards presentation. A total of 32 works were selected across three categories—poster, webtoon, and essay—based on assessments by professional judges.

This year, 1,087 people participated in the contest, more than twice the number from last year’s 485 participants, reflecting growing public interest in creating a safer online world. Professional judges—including professors and writers—commented, “Many submissions shared vivid experiences, concerns, and solutions from teachers, police officers, counselors, and youth leaders.”

They added, “While it is unfortunate that violence is spreading in various forms, thanks to the continued efforts of educators and professionals, we can see hope that society is steadily moving toward eradicating violence.”

Participants of all ages submitted creative entries using metaphors and symbolism to deliver powerful messages about violence prevention.

Da-yeon Jeong (6th grade) submitted a poster contrasting a bully laughing for fun with a crying victim, carrying the message: “Are you laughing now? Someone is crying.” She received the Kwanghoon Academy Chairman’s Award. She said, “I witnessed cyberbullying on social media, and that motivated me to join the contest in hopes of helping to create a safer digital world.”

Jua Lee (5th grade) delivered the message “A light touch, a heavy scar” through her poster, illustrating how careless cyberbullying can leave deep emotional wounds. She won the Samsung Electro-Mechanics CEO Award and commented, “Cyberbullying can happen with just a few taps, but the victim may carry those scars for life. I hope my work raises awareness about the seriousness of cyberbullying.”

Teacher Daeil Lee submitted an essay about a troubled student who changed through caring attention. The piece conveyed the message, “What wandering students need is patience, encouragement, attention, and a kind word. When we embrace them with patience, we leave a mark on their hearts.” He was awarded the Minister of Education Award and explained, “The essay reflects my shift from authoritarian guidance to relationship-centered education. Teachers should not suppress students, but instead act as a ‘school dad’ who waits for and embraces them. Schools should be more than learning spaces—they should be places where students heal and nurture their dreams.”

Since 2023, Samsung has been leading the “Cyber Jungle Guardian Blue Elephant” youth cyberbullying prevention education initiative in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, National Police Agency, Blue Tree Foundation, and Community Chest of Korea through a six-party MOU.

The term “Cyber Jungle” represents the internet space—often masked by fun and convenience—yet plagued by hate, discrimination, and exclusion. Between 2020 and 2025, approximately 1.42 million students, teachers, and parents have participated in educational and counseling programs. The project’s target is to reach 3 million participants by 2029.

Through its broad social efforts, the Blue Elephant project also contributed to institutional reforms, including the revision of the School Violence Act. Participating organizations have held forums and discussions with the National Assembly Education Committee, emphasizing the seriousness of cyberbullying and the need for policy improvements.

As a result, in March 2024, the revised Act on the Prevention and Countermeasures Against School Violence was passed. It newly defined cyberbullying and added provisions for supporting victims. The project was also included as a successful public-private collaboration case in the 5th Basic Plan for School Violence Prevention by the Ministry of Education.

Samsung employees are actively participating in the Blue Elephant project not only by volunteering their time and talents—such as through the "Cyberbullying Prevention Campaign on the Way to School" and serving as assistant instructors—but also by making financial contributions via the Sharing Kiosk.

The school route campaign aims to raise student awareness and promote a culture of nonviolence. It has so far reached about 4,600 students and teachers across 7 elementary and middle schools in 3 regions.

Each year, around 70 employee volunteers participate as assistant instructors in cyberbullying prevention education for elementary schools from March to December. Since 2022, a total of 340 volunteers have been trained.

Our company also supports youth victims of school and cyberbullying through the Sharing Kiosk. Employees donate via kiosks installed at workplaces. The funds are used for urgent psychological support. Since 2024, 65 million KRW has been raised to help 13 victims, each receiving 5 million KRW, with plans to support one student monthly going forward.

Under its CSR vision, '함께 가요 미래로! Enabling People,' Samsung continues to advance social contribution efforts focused on youth education and mutual growth.

Key educational programs include: ▲Samsung Youth SW·AI Academy(삼성청년SW·AI아카데미) ▲Samsung Hope Stepping Stone(삼성희망디딤돌) ▲Samsung Dream Class(삼성드림클래스) ▲Samsung Blue Elephant(삼성푸른코끼리) ▲Skills Olympics Technical Training(기능올림픽기술교육)—all aimed at helping youth realize their full potential.

In addition, Samsung operates mutual growth initiatives such as: ▲Support for smart factory transition for SMEs ▲C-Lab (Inside/Outside) ▲Win-Win and ESG Fund creation ▲Incentives for partner companies ▲Samsung Future Technology Development ▲Samsung Guide Dog Project ▲Sharing Kiosk ▲Samsung Multicultural Youth Support ▲Samsung Senior Digital Education Program.