[Photo] Hanminjok Tongil Women’s Association Kimchi-Making Volunteer Service of Love for North Korean Defectors

Delivered to 30 North Korean Defector Families Facing Hardship in Seoul and the Metropolitan Area

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] The Korean National Unification Women’s Association (President An Jun-hee) conducted a kimchi-making volunteer service on the 5th to help North Korean defector families facing difficulties in daily life.

Amid the COVID-19 emergency, which led to the cancellation of all planned mass gatherings this year, this kimchi-making event was held at Daebak Restaurant (Seocho-gu, Seoun-ro 13, Jungang Royal Officetel B107) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. To comply with government quarantine guidelines, only the minimum number of executives necessary for kimchi-making from the central association and metropolitan area councils participated.

The executives who participated from the day before divided their roles into three groups: ▲ harvesting and salting napa cabbage, washing salted cabbage and moving it to the kimchi-making site ▲ purchasing ingredients such as red pepper powder and preparing various vegetables to make the kimchi seasoning ▲ delivering the kimchi to North Korean defector families. On the day of the event, all participated together in mixing the kimchi.

The napa cabbage kimchi, mixed with love and sincerity by the executives of the Korean National Unification Women’s Association, was delivered to 30 North Korean defector households living in Seoul and the metropolitan area, along with COVID-19 prevention product sets sponsored by Codis One (an online general mall).

President An Jun-hee, along with Director Kim Kyung-soon and Secretary General Ryu Ji-sook, loaded the kimchi onto three vehicles and personally visited and delivered it to North Korean defector families in Seoul and the metropolitan area. She said, “I hope our warm sincerity can be of some help and comfort during these even more difficult times due to COVID-19.”

She also listened to stories about the realities of North Korea, experiences related to defection, and difficulties settling in South Korean society, stating, “We hope for the voluntary participation of North Korean defectors in creating a happy world together and opening the path to unification.”

President An Jun-hee encouraged the efforts of the executives who participated in the kimchi-making volunteer service, including Senior Vice President Kim Kyung-ja, and requested, “Please pay close attention and actively cooperate so that various projects our association will promote in the new year, such as helping North Korean defectors and restoring Korean ethnic homogeneity and unification, can proceed smoothly and successfully.”

Lee Jae-su, head of the Goyang City branch, said, “Although I have done various volunteer works before, this is my first time volunteering for North Korean defectors. I felt greater meaning and fulfillment knowing that the kimchi was made using napa cabbage personally planted and cultivated by President An Jun-hee.”

Kang Myung-ok, CEO of Daebak Restaurant, which provided the kimchi-making venue by giving up a day’s business, said, “I was happier because I could contribute even a little to doing good rather than focusing on daily sales.”

The Korean National Unification Women’s Association has also distributed masks in April and delivered Chuseok consolation gifts in September to North Korean defectors facing difficulties, and plans to provide scholarships to 10 North Korean defector youths within the year.

These activities, though small, are expected to greatly contribute to helping North Korean defectors settle well in South Korean society and to jointly advancing the cause of unification.

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