Seongbuk Geumu House Repair Volunteer Group Receives Minister of the Interior and Safety Award at Korea Volunteer Awards

2008 Residents Self-Organized, Renovated Homes of 92 Marginalized Households Over 12 Years... Seungro Lee, Seongbuk District Mayor, “Volunteers Like Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group Are the Strength Behind Overcoming Unprecedented Crisis”

A passionate home repair volunteer group that rushes to fix anyone's house in discomfort somewhere received the "2020 Korea Volunteer Award Minister of the Interior and Safety Award." From the left, Kim Tae-dong, General Manager of Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group, Park Cheong-gi, President of Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group, and Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk District Office, are taking a commemorative photo.

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A passionate home repair volunteer group that rushes to fix anyone’s house whenever it is in trouble received the ‘2020 Korea Volunteer Award Minister of the Interior and Safety Prize.’

The protagonist is the ‘Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group (President Park Cheong-gi).’ In 2008, 37 neighborhood residents united with the idea of using their talents for a good cause. Those skilled in wallpapering volunteered for wallpapering, those good at plastering did plastering, those good at cleaning did cleaning, and those who could sing sang at volunteer sites.

Over the past 12 years, they have repaired and renovated the homes of 92 underprivileged households in Seongbuk-gu. The recipients are mainly low-income elderly living alone. They carried out various repairs tailored to the residents’ needs, including wallpapering, lighting, cleaning, installing handrails on stairs, and leveling uneven floors.

One member said, “Since becoming a volunteer, I developed a habit of not passing by alleys without checking.” They look out for elderly people living alone in the alleys and check if there are any inconveniences in their homes. They often end up late for appointments because they inspect the houses they repaired to ensure there are no defects. Other volunteers have experienced similar changes.

The administration, recognizing their passion, became a strong supporter. They provided volunteer supplies and connected those in need of home repair volunteering through community centers.

A Seongbuk-gu official stated, “Falls and other safety accidents frequently occur in old houses where elderly people live. Since safety accidents increase the risk of death for the elderly, the activities of the Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group are not just about repairing houses but are important activities that improve the quality of life for the elderly, so we actively support them.”

To participate in social distancing, the award ceremony was replaced with a presentation ceremony. The presentation ceremony held on the 28th at Seongbuk-gu Office was attended by President Park Cheong-gi and General Manager Kim Tae-dong representing the Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group.

On behalf of the Minister of the Interior and Safety, Seongbuk-gu Mayor Lee Seung-ro presented the Korea Volunteer Award to them, saying, “Despite greater hardships than any other year, the reason Seongbuk was able to respond swiftly without shaking was because of countless volunteers. Thanks to the Seongbuk Geumwoo Home Repair Volunteer Group, the daily lives of underprivileged neighbors have changed to be safe and happy, and the administration will actively support volunteer activities without inconvenience.”

The ‘Korea Volunteer Award,’ now in its 15th year, is hosted by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety. Every year, it selects organizations that have long served society and practiced neighborly love in celebration of Volunteer Day.

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