LOTTE said on the 9th that it held the 10th Super Blue Marathon on the 8th around Peace Plaza in Sangam-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul, together with Special Olympics Korea.
According to LOTTE Corporation, about 8,000 people, including people with and without disabilities and LOTTE employees, took part in this year's event, along with Lim Sung-bok, head of communications at LOTTE Corporation, Jeong Yang-seok, president of Special Olympics Korea, honorary president Na Kyung-won, and author Kim Ji-woo, a publicity ambassador. Author Kim Ji-woo, known for sharing the daily lives and experiences of people with disabilities, completed the course in a wheelchair she decorated herself, adding meaning to the event.
The Super Blue Marathon is one of LOTTE's social contribution activities, where participants tie blue shoelaces symbolizing hope and independence for people with disabilities and run together. It began in 2015 and marks its 10th edition this year. Cumulative participation has reached about 80,000.
LOTTE has been running the Super Blue campaign to improve awareness of people with disabilities with Special Olympics Korea, a nonprofit supporting sports activities for people with developmental disabilities, since 2014. The Super Blue campaign aims to promote proper language use and improve perceptions of people with disabilities. The "blue" in Super Blue is an acronym for "Beautiful Language Use will Echo." The Super Blue Marathon is the flagship event of the Super Blue campaign held every fall.
LOTTE affiliates also joined the event. LOTTE Chilsung Beverage and LOTTE Wellfood provided drinks and snacks to participants. Loti and Lori, the main characters of LOTTE World, cheered on participants at the venue, and Canon Korea set up a photo zone to offer photography and printing services.
A LOTTE official said, "The Super Blue Marathon is a place of empathy where people with and without disabilities run together and understand each other," adding, "We will further expand our social contribution activities for the socially vulnerable."