Seoul City Awards 32 People Including Filial Piety Honorees and Distinguished Parents at 'Parents' Day Ceremony'

Commemoration Ceremony with 3,000 Seniors at Jangchung Gymnasium
Commendations for 21 Filial Piety Honorees and 7 Honored Parents for Contributions to Filial Practice and Senior Welfare

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] To celebrate Parents' Day, the Seoul Metropolitan Government will hold a Parents' Day ceremony on the 4th at Jangchung Gymnasium and award civic commendations to 32 individuals, including filial piety practitioners, exemplary parents, and organizations practicing filial piety.

This commemorative event is the first in-person gathering of 3,000 seniors in three years since 2019, following the downgrade of COVID-19 to a level 2 infectious disease and the lifting of social distancing measures. The city selected a total of 32 honorees: 21 filial piety practitioners who have personally practiced filial piety toward their elders, 7 exemplary parents who have raised their children upright and admirably despite difficult circumstances, and 4 organizations that have made significant contributions to improving seniors' human rights and awareness.

In the filial piety category, 21 individuals, including Im Hyun-ja, who has been a model of filial piety by caring for her biological mother for about 40 years while also looking after seniors in the local community, will receive awards. Since her marriage, Ms. Im has cared for her biological mother for approximately 40 years. Recently, she has been devotedly caring for her mother, who underwent artificial joint surgery, including taking her on trips. When her husband was critically ill due to cirrhosis, she donated part of her liver and nursed him back to health. Additionally, she has been affiliated with the Filial Piety Headquarters for eight years, visiting seniors, providing companionship, and helping with household chores, demonstrating a model of filial piety through consistent volunteer work.

Despite economic difficulties, seven exemplary parents, including Hwang Ok-soon, who has devotedly cared for her disabled son (grade 1 developmental disability) and moved those around her, will receive the Exemplary Parent Award. Since the death of her spouse 12 years ago, Ms. Hwang has been raising her son with intellectual disability grade 1 alone. At the age of 83 and despite her own chronic illnesses, she quietly cares for her son with a strong sense of responsibility and conviction that she must care for him with her own hands without causing trouble to others, becoming a role model for the local community residents.

Furthermore, Seocho-gu Bangbae Senior Welfare Center, which has worked to establish a "community-tailored dementia safety net" as a dementia prevention program encouraging active participation of seniors, was honored for operating an excellent senior welfare program. Since 2018, the center has run the program to raise awareness among seniors about the importance of dementia management and prevention. Initially a short-term, theory-based program, it has now diversified into a comprehensive approach from three perspectives?cognition, exercise, and nutrition?through theory, practical activities, and self-help groups. This has greatly helped seniors actively participate in dementia prevention and manage their health independently to lead healthy lives.

Jung Soo-yong, Director of Welfare Policy at Seoul Metropolitan Government, said, “I sincerely congratulate all the awardees selected as filial piety practitioners, exemplary parents, and contributors to senior welfare on Parents' Day. As a super-aged society where the population aged 65 and over accounts for more than 20% of the total population is approaching, the importance of senior welfare is growing day by day. Seoul will do its best to establish a reliable welfare system so that seniors can live happier lives.”