Kim Kyong-nam spent years gathering cardboard boxes at Jeongnong-dong market to save up the money — "It breaks my heart that their poverty has been passed down through generations"
Funds to cover medical and living expenses for bereaved families battling incurable illnesses, channeled through Ttatteuthan Haru
Dongdaemun-gu held a ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the Dongdaemun-gu Patriots and Veterans Hall to receive a donation from Kim Kyong-nam, an elderly resident of Jeongnong 2-dong, for descendants of independence movement patriots.
Kim donated 10 million won ($7,390) — money she had saved penny by penny over years while making a living collecting cardboard boxes and waste paper around Jeongnong-dong market.
The ceremony was attended by Lee Hee-jeong, head of the Seoul Northern District Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs; Kim Gwang-il, chief of the nonprofit Ttatteuthan Haru; Cha Byeong-cheol, chair of the Korean Liberation Association's Dongdaemun-gu chapter; and Yoo Myeong-seon, chair of the Dongdaemun-gu Veterans Organizations Council.
Kim's intention to donate first came to light through a handwritten letter she sent to the district office in August. After reading an article about Liberation Day in the Dongdaemun-gu newsletter, she put her wish to help descendants of independence patriots into words and sent the letter by registered mail.
"It breaks my heart that the poverty endured by independence fighters before liberation seems to have been passed down to their descendants even today," Kim wrote. She added that when she thinks of the activists who fought for the country's independence while enduring the bitter cold and hunger of Manchuria, she cannot turn away from the hardships facing their families.
The letter also expressed her hope that her donation would inspire others to give. Kim said she wished the news would spread through the district newsletter and media and spark a "donation relay" across the community. She also asked that her gratitude be conveyed to the market vendors around Jeongnong-dong market who had helped her collect boxes.
Kim also recalled her longstanding connection to Ttatteuthan Haru, which she had supported more than 30 years ago through a hiking club she founded called Sanha-deul Mountaineering Club. She said she would continue to support descendants of independence patriots through giving.
The donation will be delivered to bereaved families of independence patriots through Ttatteuthan Haru's support program and in coordination with the Seoul Northern District Office of Patriots and Veterans Affairs. The funds are earmarked for medical and living expenses for family members battling incurable illnesses.
"I am grateful to the vendors at Jeongnong-dong market who helped me collect boxes," Kim said. "I hope this donation serves as a small spark that leads more neighbors to join in a relay of giving."
Dongdaemun-gu District Mayor Choi Dong-min said Kim's gesture — setting aside years of savings despite her own modest circumstances to give to descendants of independence patriots — sends a powerful message to society. "We will make sure this precious donation reaches those it was intended for, and the district will do its part to help this spirit of sharing spread throughout the community," he said.
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