What Is the Meaning of Over 700 Coins Donated by an Anonymous Elderly White-Haired Person in Jungnang-gu?

[Seoul District News] On the morning of the 19th, a white-haired elder entered the Myeonmok 7-dong Community Center in Jungnang-gu and handed over a heavy envelope, saying only, "I want to donate. Please use it for those in need," then left... Geumcheon-gu installs 'Rest Chairs' considerate of elders

Over 700 coins contained in the envelope

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] An anonymous elderly person delivered a donation to the Myeonmok 7-dong Community Service Center in Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) and quietly left, bringing warm inspiration to the local community.

According to the Myeonmok 7-dong Community Service Center, on the morning of the 19th, a white-haired elderly person entered the community center and handed over a heavy envelope. When asked what it was about, the person only said, "I want to make a donation," and "Please use it for those in need," without revealing their name, and immediately left.

The envelope contained four 50,000 won bills and over 700 coins tightly packed inside. The total amount of the donation received was 319,400 won.

The district plans to entrust the donation to the Jungnang-gu Social Welfare Council and use it to support low-income and vulnerable groups.

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, "The spirit of sharing shown by the anonymous elderly person is a great force in making Jungnang-gu a better place to live," and added, "We will ensure the donation is delivered well to those in need."

Geumcheon-gu (Mayor Yoo Seong-hoon) announced that it will install ‘Rest Chairs’ where elderly people can take a break while walking.

The installation of Rest Chairs is one of the major projects in the first phase of the Age-Friendly City Creation Implementation Plan, established after Geumcheon-gu received WHO Age-Friendly City certification last year. This project was promoted by actively reflecting residents’ opinions that elderly people who find it difficult to walk for long periods need chairs to rest briefly.

Since April, Geumcheon-gu has been receiving site recommendations through the Age-Friendly City Monitoring Group to install chairs in locations practically needed by the elderly. The monitoring group, formed to reflect opinions by generation and region on the district’s policies, provided various suggestions from the elderly’s perspective, from installation locations to chair designs.

In May and June, the group visited the sites directly to check space availability and installation feasibility, and after consulting related departments and institutions, finalized the installation locations.

The Rest Chairs will be installed in a total of 19 locations by early August, including places frequently visited by elderly people such as the Doksan Senior Sports Center, Food Bank Market Center, and senior welfare center shuttle bus stops, as well as uphill paths like the Buksan Apartment uphill in Siheung 2-dong and Geumha-ro 30-gil uphill, where not only elderly but also general residents find walking difficult.

Geumcheon-gu plans to continue post-installation management using the Age-Friendly City Monitoring Group to prevent inconveniences such as chair damage or garbage accumulation around the chairs.

Yoo Seong-hoon, Mayor of Geumcheon-gu, said, "I hope these chairs become a resting place, even if just for a moment, for all elderly people who find walking difficult," and added, "We will continue to make our best efforts to promote age-friendly policies so that Geumcheon-gu can proactively respond to an aging society."