The "Security Guard's Salary" Sent to Medical Staff... A Family of Three Raided the Refrigerator

Special Donation Activity by a Pharmaceutical Company Security Guard's Family 'Touching'

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongwook Park] “Dad, how about we make do with the food in the refrigerator and send the living expenses to the medical staff?”

On the night of the 3rd of last month, Mr. Cheon Chung-guk (65, photo, Amsa-dong, Gangdong-gu, Seoul), who was watching TV with his family, received a sudden suggestion from his daughter. On the TV, the faces of medical staff dressed in protective suits caring for COVID-19 patients at a hospital in Daegu were being shown.

Mr. Cheon, who works as a security guard at a pharmaceutical company in Seocho-dong, Seoul, simultaneously thought of the side dishes scattered here and there in the refrigerator and his wife struggling with their modest household. With a monthly salary of about 2.2 million won, saving money was out of the question, and he felt a momentary sense of guilt toward his wife who manages the household.

The scene on TV seemed to give the three family members a task. The couple in their 60s and their daughter in her 20s put their heads together to find a way to help the medical staff in the Daegu area. The conclusion was reached quickly. They decided to send their entire monthly salary to the medical staff in Daegu and live for a month using only the ingredients currently in the refrigerator.

The next day, as soon as Mr. Cheon went to work, he visited a bank to inquire about how to send money to the Daegu medical staff. The donation sent to the Daegu Community Chest of Korea amounted to 2,233,320 won. He deposited his full monthly income including night work, annual leave allowance, and meal expenses.

March 31 was the day the three family members completed their one-month mission. As expected, the refrigerator was thoroughly cleaned. Feeling accomplished for achieving the 'small goal' of living without buying ingredients other than staples, the three family members plan to hold a celebration soon. In a phone call with a reporter on the 31st, Mr. Cheon said, “I have never done anything like 'donation' before, but after receiving my daughter’s suggestion and putting it into action, I feel proud as if I have done something great,” expressing his gratitude to his daughter.