Hyundai Motor’s Chung Mong-koo Foundation on Wednesday said it would expand its scope of social contribution by launching a program to offer creative educational opportunities for underprivileged households.

The extracurricular clubs at the junior and high schools designated by the government to receive priority educational fund support are expected to benefit from the new program, according to the foundation organizers.

Starting in March, the foundation will receive applications from these clubs and select 180 of them to offer support for them to gain “independent and creative” learning experiences.

More students will also become eligible this year for the annual scholarships funded by the foundation, Hyundai Motor said.

Children of firefighters who were killed in action were included as beneficiaries of such scholarships, along with graduate school-bound students showing promise in natural science or cultural arts. Highly exemplary students will be offered a chance to study abroad, organizers said.

The foundation was launched in 2011, based on 500 billion won that Hyundai Motor Chairman Chung Mong-koo donated out of his pocket. In total, Chung has given 650 billion won to the fund.

This year, up to 17,600 students, mostly from low-income families or rural areas, are set to benefit from scholarships and other beneficial programs designed to foster creative and innovative young thinkers.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmie@heraldcorp.com)