Subscribe
E-Paper
By Yoon Ja-young
Han Ji-min, a popular actress, was awarded for her donations and volunteering.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare held a ceremony for the "2017 Happiness Sharing Award" Thursday, where 43 individuals including Han and 10 private organizations received awards for their charitable activities.
The 35-year-old actress is known as an icon of philanthropy in the country's culture scene.
She has been working with JTS, an international relief organization, for 10 years. She also made headlines by donating hair for children fighting cancer in 2012, and by donating 20,000 books for soldiers in 2013.
She volunteered as a voice actress for a movie for the visually impaired in 2014. She also donated her manuscript to develop an app for foreigners learning Hangeul, or the Korean alphabet.
The ministry has been giving awards to individuals, businesses and organizations engaged in donation since 2011 to spread the culture of sharing.
Seo Bu-deok, a 77-year-old woman residing in Boseong, South Jeolla Province, also won the award. She donated 90 million won to a scholarship foundation and social welfare center for the underprivileged. She saved the money working as a peddler for 50 years.
She is currently enrolled in an elementary school for adults, to get the education she couldn't get when she was young due to poverty. Seo said she donated money to the scholarship foundation because she doesn't want other children to have to forfeit their education because of poverty.
The ministry also awarded Yang Hae-yun, an 84-year-old former English teacher in North Jeolla Province. Following retirement, he has been donating his talent as an English teacher, volunteering as an interpreter at international events, regional festivals and museums as well as teaching English to children at community centers.
Abong Studio, a quilting hobby group, is one of the organizations awarded. Its members have been holding exhibitions since 2006, where they sell their quilts. They donated 75 million won from quilt sales to help the organization of the disabled and the underprivileged teenagers.
"Small sharing in daily life is the driving force to bring healthy changes in society. We expect that the love and the volunteering spirit of the awardees will spread through society. Sharing will then become a part of our culture," said Chung Chin-youb, the welfare minister.
Those who know a person or an entity engaged in sharing activities can recommend them as candidates for the award at the welfare ministry website, at www.mohw.go.kr.
