Song Young-gil reveals decades of charitable giving: 'My wife donates everything the moment money comes in'

Song Young-gil, a candidate in the Democratic Party of Korea's leadership race, offered a rare glimpse into more than two decades of charitable giving Tuesday at a new-media debate forum held at the National Assembly. The event, titled "The Democratic Party's Path! YouTubers Ask, Song Young-gil Answers," covered not only political issues but also personal topics including family life and philanthropy.

According to Song's campaign, a YouTuber at the forum noted that Song still lives in a jeonse rental home and asked whether that was because of his extensive donations or the legal fees from his trial. Song replied that he had received 140 million won ($94,500) in criminal compensation for his 329-day detention following an indictment by prosecutors under former President Yoon Suk Yeol. "I split it in half — half went to my lawyers as a success fee, and the other half I used to take care of the aides who had worked so hard," he said.

On the subject of donations, Song said his wife, Nam Young-shin, was the real driving force. "It's more my wife than me — the moment any money comes in, she gives it all away. I don't even know how it gets spent; it's just gone," he said.

He added that when his father-in-law passed away in 2011, the couple donated the condolence money they received in full: 30 million won to the Kim Dae-jung Foundation, 30 million won to the Roh Moo-hyun Foundation, and 10 million won to the Juksan Cho Bong-am Foundation. He also said he had donated a quarter of his monthly salary to the Dail Welfare Foundation run by Pastor Choi Il-do.

Song also recounted an episode involving his wife and peace marathoner Kang Myung-gu. "Back in 2007, my wife saw Kang running across Europe pushing a baby stroller and felt so sorry for him that she immediately sent 20 million won — and then told me about it afterward. I told her she did the right thing," he said.

During his time as Incheon mayor from 2011 to 2014, Song returned and donated nearly 30 million won — specifically 29.74 million won — in position allowances. His charitable record also includes monthly donations of 100,000 won to a shelter for domestic violence survivors from 2002 to 2013, 4.05 million won in relief for typhoon victims on Ulleungdo in 2020, and $1,000 in humanitarian aid to Ukraine through the International Committee of the Red Cross in 2022.

Over the years, Song has donated a significant portion of his legislative salary to a wide range of organizations — welfare facilities and children's foundations in the Incheon Gyeyang area, the Incheon Democracy Movement Alliance, the UN Refugee Agency and the Inter-Korean Peace Foundation, among many others. He has often cited the philosophy of "mujaechilsi," a Buddhist concept meaning there are seven forms of giving that require no material wealth.

Song's son also drew attention at the forum. Another YouTuber remarked that the candidate's children had made a strong impression by campaigning publicly on his behalf during the general election while he was in detention, and suggested that his close relationship with them might help him better connect with voters in their 20s and 30s.

"I feel so sorry and so grateful to my son and daughter," Song said. "When I was in prison, it was no small thing for my grown children to put their faces out there and campaign for their father — it broke my heart." He added that his son had recently passed the bar exam and that Kim & Chang had contacted him directly to offer his son a special hire. "I turned it down immediately. My son also refused without hesitation," Song said. "I think I raised him well. People talk about a 'dad's advantage,' but I think of it as a 'son's advantage.'"

Kang Min-seok, a spokesperson for Song's campaign, said the forum had brought a wide range of topics to the table beyond political issues. "Song Young-gil's campaign is committed to open communication, and we are reviewing the possibility of holding a second forum," he said.