[Photo] Hanminjok Unification Women's Association Kimchi-Making Volunteer Service for Marginalized North Korean Defectors

Delivered to 50 North Korean Defector Families Struggling 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 4th to help North Korean defector families facing difficulties in daily life.

The kimchi-making event took place at Daebak Restaurant in Sonae, Seocho-gu, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with participation from executives and members of the central association and metropolitan area councils. Seven senior members, including Honorary Chairman Kim Kyung-oh and Standing Advisors Choi Seok-in and Ryu Soon-ja, briefly demonstrated how to mix cabbage kimchi, encouraging the participants’ hard work.

The group moved about 500 heads of salted napa cabbage prepared the day before to the kimchi-making site, made the seasoning (yangnyeom), and mixed each cabbage head with love and care. The kimchi was then delivered to 50 North Korean defector households living in Seoul and the metropolitan area. For outlying areas such as Seosan in Chungnam and Pocheon in Gyeonggi, President An Jun-hee and Secretary General Ryu Ji-sook personally visited and delivered the kimchi.

President An Jun-hee said, “Thanks to everyone’s active participation as if it were their own task, we successfully completed a large amount of kimchi-making,” and added, “Please continue to show unwavering interest and active participation so that various projects our association will promote next year for restoring Korean ethnic homogeneity and unification can be successfully carried out.” She also said during a visit to a North Korean defector facility in the Seosan area, “We expect voluntary participation from North Korean defectors in creating a happier world together and opening the path to unification.”

Honorary Chairman Kim Kyung-oh, who visited to encourage the event, said, “Since it was my first time making kimchi, I didn’t realize how labor-intensive it is and how diverse the seasoning ingredients are. Seeing the site where kimchi is made with such care, I think the recipients will be very grateful,” and encouraged, “I expect the Korean National Unification Women’s Association to play an even greater role as a vanguard of the unification movement.”

Lee Kyung-sun, head of the Seodaemun-gu branch, said, “Although we have done kimchi-making volunteer services several times in the region, this is the first time for North Korean defectors,” and added, “I hope our sincerity and warm hearts will be conveyed and provide some comfort in overcoming the cold and difficult times.” Kang Myung-ok, CEO of Daebak Restaurant, which provided the venue again this year following last year, said, “I feel more rewarded than a day’s sales by being able to contribute even a little to a good cause.”

Following the kimchi-making volunteer service for North Korean defector families facing difficulties, the Korean National Unification Women’s Association plans to provide scholarships to North Korean defector youth on December 28.

These activities, though small, are expected to contribute to helping North Korean defectors settle stably in South Korean society and actively participate in the unification movement.

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