KB Asset Management will continue for a second straight year a small business support programme to help families of fallen firefighters become economically self-reliant.

KB Asset Management said on Nov. 9, Firefighting Day, that it will run the RISE Hero Store programme to support small businesses run by bereaved families of fallen firefighters. It will deliver a 20 million won donation to the Firefighter Families Hope Sharing Association for the project.

RISE Hero Store is a social contribution programme linked to KB Asset Management's exchange-traded fund (ETF) brand RISE. It focuses on honouring fallen firefighters and helping bereaved families continue their livelihoods in a stable way.

In the programme, which started for the first time last year, it supported three bereaved households running restaurants, hair salons and a piano academy by providing store facility work and items needed for operations.

This year it plans to select two bereaved households running small businesses based on recommendations from the National Fire Agency and fire agencies nationwide.

Selected households will receive support including business facility improvements, production of signs and nameplates, and purchases of items needed for operations. The programme will run for about two months.

KB Asset Management CEO Kim Young-sung (김영성) said, "We will continue social contribution activities based on the values of care and coexistence."