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| An artist's rendering of the Olympus Training Center to be constructed in Songdo, Incheon, near Seoul. / Courtesy of Olympus Korea |
Company to more actively engage in local medical, cultural sectors
By Kim Yoo-chul
Olympus Korea wants "dual-track" initiatives to expand its presence in the local market in the form of increased investments in cultural activities and medical projects.
It has been actively transforming itself into a leader in precision machinery in Korea amid growing interest in healthcare professionals and services.
"Olympus Korea is expanding its corporate profile in Korea," it said in a statement, Thursday.
It has made efforts to help promote the local healthcare industry and the development of the local economy by building its cutting-edge medical training center in Songdo, Incheon, near Seoul.
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| The inset shows musicians performing in a concert hall in Olympus Korea's headquarters in southern Seoul, Thursday. / Courtesy of Olympus Korea |
The center, due to be completed in February 2017, is set to offer diverse training programs for healthcare professionals on the safe and effective use of its innovative medical products, including Olympus' latest endoscopy equipment.
With a total budget of $33.2 million, Korea is the sixth country that will have the center. Olympus has worked in cooperation with the Incheon Free Economic Zone Authority for the project.
The four-story building will also become a home to a slew of local bio companies and will have laboratories and an after-sales center, it said.
"Once completed, the center is expected to create over 70 jobs in operating resources and draw more than 10,000 visitors a year," the company said.
The medical industry is paying keen attention to the project as it is neither a well-known university hospital, healthcare corporation or government authority, but a multinational company that is building a training center dedicated to health care professionals.
Well known as a camera manufacturer to Koreans, Olympus accounts for about 70 percent of the world's endoscope market, reaping about 70 percent of its revenue in medical equipment such as endoscopes and surgical products.
"Olympus explains that the center is an essential venue where they can communicate with health care professionals in active partnership and reflect the needs of Olympus headquarters to accommodate feedback from Korean health care professionals known for their excellent medical ability," it said.
Its cultural initiative is also drawing attention from the local market. It operates the 250-seat Olympus Hall within its main office building in southern Seoul.
This classical music concert hall is dedicated to contributing to society through cultural programs.
The art education program is centered on photography to enable young people that are tired after a long stay in hospital to explore various themes with their peers and express their ideas and emotions with photos, finding new opportunities for communication and resuming their life in school and society.
In recognition of these various corporate cultural responsibility initiatives, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism selected Olympus Korea as a sponsor of culture and art programs in March this year, which is the only honor given to multinational corporations operating in Korea.
