Roche Diagnostics Korea CEO Richard Yiu (left) and Korea Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Chairman Lee Bae-keun hold up the 15 million won donation pledge made by Roche to prevent child abuse.

Roche Diagnostics Korea said Friday that it donated 15 million won to the Korea Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, to support children who have suffered from child abuse and provide parental education.

The firm said it got the funds from donations made by its employees from Roche Pharmaceutical and Roche Diagnostics to the Roche Children’s Walk event hosted as a charity walk event commemorating Children’s Day in Africa on June 22. Roche Diagnostics matched donations made by its employees, it said.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, child abuse cases rose more than three-fold in the past five years, totaling more than 22,000 last year. More than 80 percent of the cases involved the abuser being their biological parents.

Experts advise prioritizing parent education to prevent child abuse that mainly occurs at home.

Roche Diagnostics’ funds will go not only toward group home support to protect children from abuse but educational projects such as those for parents and guardians.

"Roche Korea has been supporting the Korea Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect since 2015 with the belief that child abuse must be abolished, and we will make efforts to make the world a nicer place to live so that children sick in body or mind can smile,” Roche Diagnostic CEO Richard Yiu said.

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