Korea saw an increased participation in this year’s Earth Hour, the annual global lights-out campaign for raising energy conservation awareness. On the last Saturday of March every year, lights are turned off in major cities around the world simultaneously for an hour.

Held on March 31, over 60 landmarks, 500 companies and 100 public institutions joined the hourlong campaign this year in Korea, according to Earth Hour’s organizer World Wide Fund for Nature. WWF Korea’s partner company Herald Corp. also joined the effort for the fourth consecutive year.

The countdown event that preceded the switch-off at 8:30 p.m. was attended by WWF Korea figures including the chapter head Yoon Se-woong, chairman of the board of directors Song Sung-hwan and promotion ambassador Park Seo-joon, in the presence of around 2,000 citizens.

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video statement that this year’s Earth Hour “comes with a great sense of urgency,” calling for increased awareness for “the worsening impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean pollution, soil degradation and water scarcity.”

Launched in 2007, Earth Hour has mobilized governments, organizations, businesses and individuals for awareness and action for sustainability. WWF said next year’s event is slated for March 28 at 8:30 p.m.

By Kim Arin (arin@heraldcorp.com)