Yuhan Foundation Awards the 32nd Yu Jaera Volunteer Award... Four Recipients Including Nurse Lee Geum-ok

Yuhan Foundation announced on the 19th that it held the 32nd Yu Jaera Volunteer Award ceremony. The Yu Jaera Volunteer Award was established to commemorate Mrs. Yu Jaera (the eldest daughter of Dr. Yu Ilhan), who donated her entire fortune to society through the Yuhan Foundation.

The Yuhan Foundation announced on the 19th that it held the 32nd Yu Jae-ra Volunteer Award Ceremony. Award recipients Teacher Lee Jin-kyung, Nurse Lee Geum-ok, Yuhan Foundation Chairman Kim Joong-soo, Director Kim So-eun, and Branch Manager Lee Tae-ok are taking a commemorative photo at the award ceremony. (From left) [Photo by Yuhan Corporation]

At this year's ceremony held in the morning at the Yuhan Corporation headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, the awardees were selected as Nurse Lee Geum-ok (Pocheon Hospital, Gyeonggi Provincial Medical Center) in the nursing category, Teacher Lee Jin-kyung (Geumbit Elementary School) in the education category, and Director Kim So-eun (Seoul Women’s Hospital) and Lee Tae-ok (Head of Ulsan Hospice Branch) in the welfare category. Each received a prize money of 25 million KRW and a plaque.

Nurse Lee Geum-ok, the nursing category awardee, has been recognized for her participation in free medical volunteer services for villages near the Military Demarcation Line with limited access to medical institutions and for marginalized or disadvantaged neighbors since 1988. Teacher Lee Jin-kyung, the education category awardee, has been working as a special education teacher since 1997, providing tailored education to students with special needs, supporting their independence and career guidance, and conducting disability awareness special education for non-disabled students.

Kim So-eun, director of Seoul Women’s Hospital and the welfare category (overseas volunteer) awardee, has been a founding member of the Good News Medical Volunteer Association since 2008. She has participated in overseas medical volunteer work, dedicating even her personal vacation time to help vulnerable groups in developing countries and striving to create a healthier society. Another welfare category (hospice volunteer) awardee, Lee Tae-ok, completed hospice training in 1998, organized a hospice support group in Ulsan, and opened the doors of hospice care at Ulsan Hospital. Lee has been recognized for training over 3,500 volunteers and providing holistic care to terminal patients for 25 years.

Meanwhile, one awardee expressed in their acceptance speech that "in accordance with the noble spirit of the Yu Jaera Volunteer Award, I will donate the entire prize money of 25 million KRW to volunteer activities for those in need." However, the identity of the awardee who decided to donate was not disclosed according to their wishes. Other awardees also expressed their intention to use the prize money for good causes in our society.

Kim Joong-soo, chairman of the Yuhan Foundation, said, "I hope the spirit of service and sacrifice shown by the awardees will serve as a model for the people and spread like wildfire throughout all sectors of our society. The Yuhan Foundation will continue to support this purpose steadily until it is achieved."

Meanwhile, the Yu Jaera Volunteer Award was established in 1992 by the Yuhan Foundation to commemorate the life of Mrs. Yu Jaera, who lived her entire life devoted to social service and donated her entire fortune to society through the Yuhan Foundation. Every year, the foundation selects and awards women who have shown exemplary dedication to volunteer service in the fields of nursing, education, and welfare.

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