[Report] "Where Do Hungry People Go?" 34 Years of Bapppur Warmth, Building Expansion 'Conflict'

Preparing 500 Meals Daily for Those in Need... Sharing Bags Contain Rice, 3 Side Dishes, Tangerines, Masks, etc.
Elders Say "This Must Not Disappear," "Many People Are in Need" in Unison
Seoul City Filed Charges on the 10th of Last Month for 'Illegal Extension of City-Owned Land'
Da-il Community States "Building Permit Is the District Office's Responsibility... Also Reached Agreement with Seoul City Council in 2009"

At 11 a.m. on the 18th, a sharing meal service began at an underpass in Cheongnyangni, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Hyun-joo] "If not here, then where else are we supposed to go? What about the hungry and poor people?"

On the morning of the 18th, at the underpass in Cheongnyangni, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, where free meal service has been running for 34 years, more than 200 elderly people were lined up despite the severe cold with minimum temperatures nearing minus 10 degrees Celsius. Although the sharing meal service starts at 11 a.m., people had already gathered just after 9 a.m. As the meal time approached, the line that began at the entrance of the underpass extended around the nearby streets.

Today's menu included white rice, stir-fried pork, kimchi, and seasoned seaweed. In the sharing bags, in addition to these, canned drinks, two tangerines, masks, and spoons were also included.

Around 9 a.m., volunteers from the Dail Welfare Foundation (Dail Community) Bap-Peo Sharing Movement Headquarters (Bap-Peo Headquarters) were busy transferring cooked rice and side dishes. They were bustling preparing 500 servings of meals. Although preparations started early from 6 a.m., cooking was still ongoing inside the kitchen.

A woman identified as A, who has volunteered here for three years, said, "Three years is nothing. There are so many people who have been here for a long time." She had come to offer warmth through donations but rushed over upon hearing about the shortage of hands due to COVID-19. With skilled hands, she refilled the lacking kimchi and neatly wiped and organized the kitchen with a dishcloth.

On the morning of the 18th at 10 a.m., volunteers are busily preparing meals in the kitchen of the Bapper Headquarters. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

"Usually, the elderly wouldn't even make eye contact, but their eyes have changed. They said, 'We can't let this happen to us,' and 'How could they try to shut this down when we're so grateful?'"

On the 17th, the day after reports that Seoul City had filed a complaint against the Dail Community for 'illegal extension on city-owned land,' Kim Mi-kyung, head of the Bap-Peo Headquarters, said she was surprised by the changed expressions of the elderly. When asked why she wished the elderly hadn't seen the news, she replied, "Everyone who comes here is struggling, so we shouldn't give them unnecessary worries." Her worried expression was visible even behind her mask.

Kim has been involved here for 20 years this year. She first connected with this place as a volunteer in 2002 and began working full-time from 2013.

The elderly waiting for their meals each shared their thoughts when asked by reporters if they had seen the Seoul City complaint news. Kim Mo (female, in her 80s), who has been eating here since last year, said, "Seoul City is at fault. The building should be completed; why are they interfering? Everyone here is struggling, starving people." B, a man from Changsin-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, raised his voice, "Where else gives us meals like this? They shouldn't shut this down. No, no."

Sharing meal service for the elderly. Inside the bag are rice, three side dishes, two tangerines, a beverage, a mask, and utensils. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

When speaking to C, a woman who arrived first, saying, "You came first," she nodded. When asked what time she arrived, she replied, "I don't know because I have no phone or watch. I left when it was dark, when it was dark, in the morning." Another elderly person following her said, "I left home at 7 a.m."

Thirty minutes before the meal sharing, officials began checking the body temperatures of the elderly. For those with unclear residence or contact information or who had difficulty using the electronic entry log, name tags with barcodes were issued to fill out the entry log. If they brought their ID and informed about their vaccination status, a certificate was issued on-site. Presenting the barcode is required to receive the sharing meal.

Volunteers had clearly divided tasks. The volunteer at the front filled the bottom of the bag with the heaviest rice and handed it over. The next volunteer put side dishes, two tangerines, and a canned drink into the bag. The following volunteer added spoons and masks and tightly tied the bag's opening.

At 11 a.m., Director Kim came out, took the microphone, and greeted everyone. When he said, "Hello, how have you been?" light applause followed. Afterward, as the meal sharing began, the elderly scanned their barcodes to fill out the entry log, received their bags, and dispersed.

The Bapppun Sharing Movement Headquarters of the Dail Welfare Foundation, built in the area of 554 Dapsimni-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul. On the right side of the building, the halted extension construction can be seen. Photo by Hyunju Park phj0325@

Meanwhile, on the 10th of last month, Seoul City filed a complaint with Dongdaemun Police Station against Pastor Choi Il-do, representative of the Dail Community, for unauthorized extension construction on city-owned land. As a result, the extension construction has been halted. The construction was to expand a dining hall that could accommodate 100 to 120 people to allow over 200 people to use it. Currently, meals are distributed as packed lunches due to COVID-19, but previously, meals could be eaten inside the building's dining hall.

On the 17th, Pastor Choi met with reporters at the Dail Angel Hospital in Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, expressing his surprise, stating that the extension was carried out in active cooperation with Dongdaemun District Office. He said, "The district office's order to stop construction was due to complaints from nearby residents and has nothing to do with the city-owned land as claimed by Seoul City." He added, "Since building permits are the responsibility of the district office, it is unreasonable for Seoul City to raise issues now. When the temporary building was erected at this site in 2009, the Seoul City Council also agreed, so I don't understand why this is a problem now."

Pastor Choi continued, "If Seoul City does not withdraw the complaint after raising an issue where there is none, I will take to the streets to fight on behalf of the poor and destitute neighbors. If I go to jail for this, I will consider it an honor for my family."

The Bap-Peo Headquarters began its free meal sharing project for the homeless in November 1988. Since 2009, it has built a building in the area of 554 Dapsimni-dong, Dongdaemun-gu, Seoul, and provides meals to the elderly every day at 11 a.m.

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