What’s the story behind a middle-aged woman from Sangye 1-dong, Nowon-gu making cloth masks and visiting the district office?

Sanggye 1-dong Housewives Donate Handmade Cotton Masks

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] There is a saying, "What melts the eyes of Mount Taesan is not the fierce commanding force, but the passionate heat that shares the pain trapped within Mount Taesan."

These days, as the whole world is boiling over with COVID-19, this saying reminds us of the small acts of care and sincerity that warm our hearts.

On the morning of the 18th, at the Nowon-gu Sanggye 1-dong Community Center, a middle-aged woman visited the community chief's office. She introduced herself as an ordinary housewife living in the neighborhood and was carrying a small box. Inside were linen masks, each carefully packaged in transparent plastic bags and neatly arranged. She said she took out an old sewing machine from home and made them by hand. Each stitch was carefully sewn, and the trimming of loose threads was neat, making the masks look quite high-quality.

The motivation for this heartfelt act came a few days ago when Nowon-gu Office distributed two masks per person to all residents.

She had been feeling sorry whenever she saw Director Jeong Eun-kyung of the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency briefing daily on the COVID-19 situation on TV, and wondered, "What can I do?" That’s when she thought of making linen masks.

“Although the quantity is not large, I wanted to repay those who devote themselves day and night for the country and its people by making masks myself, so I stayed up all night making them,” she said with gratitude.

Although the number of masks is only 30, the emotion conveyed by such a heart is truly precious.

Park Hong-seong (57), the chief of Sanggye 1-dong, said, “After finishing disinfection activities and returning to the office, I was moved by her words. I felt once again that our society is alive and warm, and that we will soon overcome COVID-19, which is like a disaster.”

The donated masks will be distributed to volunteer groups engaged in neighborhood disinfection activities.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.