Free Bread Distribution on the Way to School and 28 Years of Beauty Volunteer Service... Kim Ssang-sik, Kim Yeon-hyu, and Others Receive 'LG Hero Award'

Baker Kim Ssang-sik, who has been giving free bread to children on their way to school every morning, and hairdresser Kim Yeon-hyu, who has volunteered in beauty services for 28 years (Photo by LG)

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 2nd, LG Welfare Foundation announced that it awarded the LG Hero Award to baker Kim Ssang-sik (47), who has been distributing free bread to children on their way to school every morning, and hairdresser Kim Yeon-hyu (48), who has been providing free beauty services to underprivileged neighbors for 28 years. Firefighters Lee Dong-geun (46), So Yoon-sung (30), and Choi Jin-heon (39), who saved the lives of a child and a man who were drowning, also received the LG Hero Award.

Kim Ssang-sik, known as "Bbangsik-i Ajae," runs a bakery in Namhae, Gyeongnam. In his bakery, which is about 11 pyeong in size and located at a corner near an elementary school, he prepares 70 to 100 free pieces of bread every morning for children going to school and places them on a shelf in front of the bakery. To ensure the children’s safety, he only offers freshly made bread each morning. Additionally, he donates bread worth over 20 million won annually to more than 10 organizations, including welfare facilities for the disabled and self-support centers in Namhae, through weekly bread-sharing events.

Kim said, "Perhaps because I grew up struggling, I started the bread service hoping that people around me wouldn’t be as hungry as I was." He added, "I live alone and don’t have much money, but I want to continue sharing bread with children in the future."

Kim Yeon-hyu, who runs a hair salon in Ulsan, Gyeongnam, began providing free beauty services in 1993 at an orphanage in Hongcheon, Gangwon-do, during his military service, and has continued this volunteer work for 28 years. He visits four facilities weekly, including residential centers for people with severe disabilities and nursing hospitals, providing beauty services to over 4,000 people. Kim said, "If my skills can make them happy, I will volunteer for life."

Lee and two others carried out rescue operations in water. On the afternoon of the 12th of last month, Lee was riding his bicycle along the embankment of Gwangryeocheon in Ham-an County, Gyeongnam, when he heard cries for help. Three elementary school students who were playing in the water were struggling in a river where the water level had risen to 2 meters due to the monsoon rains. Lee immediately jumped into the water and rescued all three children one by one within five minutes.

On June 30th, So witnessed an elementary school student being swept out to sea near Sanjicheon in Geonip-dong, Jeju. He jumped into the water and swam at full speed to rescue the child. So said, "As soon as I heard the cries for help, my body reacted before I could think. Thanks to the lifesaving training I received while serving in the Marine Corps reconnaissance unit, I was able to save the child."

Firefighter Choi, from Incheon West Fire Station, discovered a man in his 50s who had fallen into the Han River near Seongsan Bridge in Seoul while riding his bicycle home after a night shift on June 25th. After calling 119, Choi jumped into the river and swam about 25 meters to rescue the drifting man. Choi said, "I just did what a firefighter should do," and expressed gratitude to the citizens who actively helped with the rescue.

The LG Hero Award was established in 2015 to reflect the late Chairman Koo Bon-moo’s wish that the company repay socially responsible citizens who sacrificed themselves for the nation and social justice. Since Chairman Koo Kwang-mo’s inauguration, the scope of recipients has been expanded to include citizens who have performed exemplary acts for society. To date, a total of 157 people have received the LG Hero Award.