S-Oil said Thursday its chief executive has donated 500 million won ($421,440) to a local disaster relief organization to help people hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

Hussain Al-Qahtani, who was appointed as the company’s new CEO last June, made the donation to Hope Bridge Korea Disaster Relief Association.

“As Koreans are facing difficult times due to the virus spread, S-Oil has decided to share the pain and participate in the national efforts to overcome the crisis,” he said.

Al-Qahtani has also taken measures to ensure the safety of S-Oil employees by initiating flexible working hours and telecommuting systems, in addition to providing masks and hand sanitizers -- also sent to employees in Daegu and North Gyeongbuk Province, where the outbreak is more serious.

By Kim Byung-wook (kbw@heraldcorp.com)