“Children who suffered abuse in childhood are four times more likely to experience mental health issues as adults than children who were not abused.”
A study by the University of Birmingham warns of the dangers posed by the unhealed scars that child abuse leaves on children. These traumas are likely to last a lifetime, which is why child abuse is an issue in our society requiring urgent attention and care.

Hyundai Motor Group has been running the community outreach program ‘i-CARE’ since 2014 to address and prevent child abuse, as well as strengthen the child protection system.

‘i-CARE’ program focuses on addressing child abuse through three main areas: providing support vehicles, shelters for abused children, and nurturing the capacities of Child Protective Service Workers. To these ends, in 2014, the ‘i-CARE CAR’ initiative was created to provide mobile psychological counseling services for child victims of abuse. This was supplemented by the ‘i-CARE HOME’ initiative in 2024 to improve the living environment in Child Protective Services for abused children. Additionally, the ‘i-CARE UP’ initiative was launched to prevent burnout and enhance the capabilities of Child Protective Service Workers.

The first initiative, ‘i-CARE CAR,’ provides mobile counseling services for abused children. To achieve this, Hyundai Motor Group has developed and provided specially designed vehicles for psychological counseling, reflecting real-world feedback from those in the field.

The interior of these vehicles is designed to be optimal spaces for counseling, with features such as counseling tables, swivel face-to-face counseling seats, air purifiers, and therapeutic tools. Notably, Hyundai Mobis's ‘brainwave stress measurement’ technology* and Hyundai AutoEver’s ‘AI voice recognition counseling support’ technology** have been incorporated to enhance the efficiency of counseling services.

The ‘i-CARE HOME’ initiative, newly launched in 2024, focuses on improving the living environment in shelters for abused children. To achieve this, Hyundai Motor Group selects older shelters for abused children and remodels them into child-friendly living spaces, providing improved temporary accommodations. Along with improving living conditions, emotional stability programs and stress-relief activities are also included to help with children’s psychological recovery and healing. This helps abused children feel safe and cared for in their living environment while healing their emotional wounds.

The ‘i-CARE UP’ initiative was established in 2024 to support the unsung heroes of our society: the Child Protective Service Workers who dedicate themselves to ensuring the safety of children. These workers are often exposed to verbal abuse and violence due to the nature of their work, and frequently experience burnout and mental fatigue. In fact, the average tenure of Child Protective Service Workers is just 2.1 years, and the turnover rate is as high as 28.3%, reflecting the difficult working conditions they face.

In response, Hyundai Motor Group launched i-CARE UP to help Child Protective Service Workers across South Korea feel pride in their work, as well as enhance their professional capabilities. To provide consolation and restful experiences for these workers, activities such as color art therapy, talk concerts, and DIY workshops were held to support stress management, and special lectures, presentations on exemplary instances of case management, and award ceremonies were organized to bolster their skills.