Despite Illness, 11 Years of Volunteering... Yangcheon-gu's Volunteer of the Year, Yu Hyun-ok

On the 5th, 'I am a Volunteer' Event Held at Yangcheon Culture Hall Grand Theater to Commemorate Volunteer Day
Commendation of Meritorious Persons, Sharing Activity Achievements, Awarding Volunteer Certificates, Celebration Performances, and Talent Contest to Appreciate Efforts

Daesang Award Winner Yoo Hyun-ok

Yangcheon-gu (Mayor Lee Gi-jae) will hold a commemorative event titled ‘I am a Volunteer’ on the 5th at the Yangcheon Culture Hall Grand Theater to encourage and boost the morale and pride of volunteers who have contributed to the development of the local community with dedication and affection for their neighbors, in celebration of Volunteer Day (December 5).

This event will include ▲ screening of volunteer activity videos ▲ awarding commendations to 31 meritorious volunteers ▲ issuing certificates to 1,310 volunteers based on hours served ▲ congratulatory performances ▲ and a talent contest, providing an opportunity to share the joy of volunteering together.

Notably, Shin Wol-7-dong’s Yoo Hyun-ok, selected as the 5,000-hour Volunteer King, has been devoted to supporting vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled, and multicultural families for 11 years since 2012. Despite being diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer, she continued volunteering without pause, focusing on the well-being of her neighbors over herself. Her benevolent actions have deeply resonated within the community and led to her being named ‘Volunteer King of the Year.’

Additionally, a total of about 1,300 volunteers will receive Volunteer King certificates by service hours: 4 people with 10,000 hours, 19 with 5,000 hours, 72 with 1,000 hours, 128 with 500 hours, and 296 with 300 hours.

Currently, Yangcheon-gu has 16,513 volunteers affiliated with 347 volunteer organizations, including four volunteer groups directly under the Volunteer Center, and 126 volunteers in 17 volunteer camps practicing specialized projects, neighbor care, and environmental protection, contributing to the creation of a ‘Warm City Yangcheon.’

The ‘Baenetjeogori Volunteer Group’ under the district’s Volunteer Center has supported over 500 hand-sewn Baenetjeogori (traditional newborn jackets) since 2013 for low-income vulnerable families and single mother facilities within the district. Since May, the district has proactively expanded the support target for Baenetjeogori to all newborn families in the area, the first among autonomous districts, addressing the low birthrate issue together with residents.

Yangcheon-gu is the only autonomous district in Seoul to be selected as an excellent disaster response volunteer center for two consecutive years and has achieved remarkable success by sweeping awards in the volunteer field, including the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award at the Korea Volunteer Awards, the Grand Prize at the Seoul Welfare Awards, and the Excellence Award at the Seoul Volunteer Awards.

Lee Gi-jae, Mayor of Yangcheon-gu, said, “The noble dedication of volunteers has elevated the value of the community and become a great driving force in practicing solidarity and love among neighbors. I deeply appreciate their efforts and will continue to support them so that they can feel pride and fulfillment as volunteers of Yangcheon-gu.”

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