Although Retired, the Hands Picking Up Empty Bottles Have Not Stopped... Former Environmental Cleaner of Gyeongsan City Donates Funds Again

Collecting and Selling Scrap and Empty Bottles to Supplement Personal Funds for Annual Neighbor Assistance

Shin Dong-min, a former sanitation worker in Jungang-dong, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, donated money to the Administrative Welfare Center again this year.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Lee Seryeong] Whenever he had a chance, he would diligently pick up scrap paper and empty bottles. He carefully collected even 100-won empty bottles as if they might break. Over the years, as his cart grew heavier, his heart grew lighter.

His years of collecting heavy trash discarded by citizens as a sanitation worker have now come to an end. However, there was still one task he could not let go of.

On the 6th, he visited the Administrative Welfare Center in Jungang-dong, Gyeongsan-si, Gyeongbuk, where he had worked for many years. Mr. Shin Dongman, who left after serving as the sanitation worker team leader, came again to this Administrative Welfare Center to donate money.

Before his retirement on June 30th, Mr. Shin could not give up his ‘collecting habit’ and continued to gather empty bottles and scrap paper for about five months.

Even when he was a sanitation worker, he collected and sold these ‘profitable’ recyclables during his spare time. When he wanted to help neighbors in need, he felt embarrassed to donate only the money earned from selling empty bottles, so he always added some pocket money to the donation. Every year, he donated to help neighbors, and many public officials remember him as the ‘Jungang-dong Angel Uncle.’

On the 6th, the 500,000 won he handed over to the Jungang-dong Administrative Welfare Center to be used for neighbors in need was a significant amount.

Park Juwon, head of Jungang-dong, said, “We are grateful that even after retirement, he collected scrap paper and empty bottles early in the morning or late at night and donated the proceeds. We will deliver it to the Community Chest of Korea to be used effectively to support low-income and marginalized groups.”

Tomorrow at dawn, Mr. Shin might be wandering the streets of Gyeongsan again.