Kim Yuk-young, Kim Hye-ja, and Others Attend the '2021 Seongbuk Resident Awards' Ceremony

This Year's Awardees ▲Community Development: Kim Yukyoung ▲Volunteer Service: Cheongsu Scholarship Foundation ▲Public Morals: Kim Hyeja ▲Culture and Sports: Jeong Misook ▲Model Youth: Student Hong Juntak

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) held the ‘2021 Seongbuk-gu Residents Awards Ceremony’ on the 7th, awarding the Residents Award to five recipients who have brought honor to Seongbuk-gu.

The Seongbuk-gu Residents Award is given to individuals or organizations who are unsung heroes dedicated to creating a bright and healthy civil society and contributing to the development of the district. The award has been presented since 1996, marking its 26th year this year. It is divided into five categories: ▲Community Development, ▲Good Deeds and Volunteer Service, ▲Sound Customs and Morals, ▲Culture and Sports, and ▲Model Youth, with one recipient selected annually in each category.

This year’s recipients are ▲Community Development: Kim Yuk-young ▲Good Deeds and Volunteer Service: Cheongsu Scholarship Foundation ▲Sound Customs and Morals: Kim Hye-ja ▲Culture and Sports: Jung Mi-sook ▲Model Youth: Student Hong Jun-taek.

Kim Yuk-young, the Community Development awardee, as the president of the Seongbuk-dong Residents’ Autonomous Committee, played a leading role in building a community through Seongbuk-dong’s specialized projects such as operating direct trade markets between urban and rural areas and distributing love face masks.

In particular, he formed a committee for eco-friendly autonomous businesses with local merchants to solve their problems and led a voluntary donation culture by participating in various events and donating the proceeds. He also actively participated in public-private joint quarantine efforts to overcome COVID-19 and joined the ‘Good Landlord’ project for two consecutive years, contributing to overcoming the COVID-19 crisis and protecting small business owners, earning recognition for his contribution to community development.

The Cheongsu Scholarship Foundation, awarded in the Good Deeds and Volunteer Service category, was established in October 2000 by residents of Jeongneung 4-dong who united their efforts. To date, it has provided 100 million KRW in scholarships to over 100 students, serving as a beacon of hope by helping students with difficult family circumstances and excellent academic performance to continue their studies and achieve their cherished dreams.

Kim Hye-ja, recipient of the Sound Customs and Morals award, has served as president of the Jangwi 2-dong Residents’ Autonomous Committee and the local Social Welfare Council. Through activities such as the local love-sharing bazaar, the Jangwi-dong Bu-ma Festival sub-bazaar, the ‘Love Knitting Room’ delivering warmth through yarn, and social isolation care projects to overcome COVID-19, she worked to restore the disappearing village community through neighborly love and sharing. She also contributed to fostering a culture of respect and filial piety for elders through projects like ‘Happy Birthday Visits with Seniors,’ the Jangwi 2-dong Classic Movie Theater, and senior happiness outings, thereby helping to preserve and develop beautiful sound customs and morals.

Jung Mi-sook, awarded in the Culture and Sports category, is the director of the Korean Furniture Museum. With a single-minded dedication to reproducing Korea’s traditional residential culture, she has collected traditional wooden furniture since the 1960s and relocated ten hanok houses, opening the museum after more than half a century of effort and devotion.

She has made the Furniture Museum, located in Seongbuk-dong, a landmark of Seongbuk-gu visited by dignitaries and guests from around the world, recognized for her efforts to elevate pride and dignity in Korean culture.

Hong Jun-taek, recipient of the Model Youth award, is a student at Da-il Foreign Language High School. Without relying on private education, he achieved outstanding academic results through self-directed learning and consistent reading. As class president, he led by example in handling difficult tasks and helping others, showing a warm heart and leadership by ensuring no classmates were left out, becoming a rare youth role model for other students.

At the awards ceremony, Mayor Lee Seung-ro said, “I extend my deep congratulations and gratitude to the recipients who have quietly worked for the development of Seongbuk-gu behind the scenes. I ask that you continue to take pride as recipients of the Seongbuk-gu Residents Award and work hard for the district.”