Anonymous Benefactor Repays Gratitude to Savior from 45 Years Ago?

On the 4th, Myeonmokbon-dong Community Service Center in Jungnang-gu received a donation of 5 million won from an anonymous philanthropist.

Warm Gesture: A Man in His 70s Donates 5 Million Won to Myeonmokbon-dong Community Center in Jungnang-gu to Repay Gratitude to His Benefactor from 45 Years Ago

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] A man in his 70s donated 5 million won to the Myeonmokbon-dong Community Center in Jungnang-gu (Mayor Ryu Gyeong-gi) to repay his gratitude to a benefactor from 45 years ago.

The anonymous donor stated, "I have always been grateful to a local resident who took good care of my mother, who lived in Myeonmokbon-dong 45 years ago. However, due to moving and the ensuing confusion, I was unable to express my thanks, and as time passed, I regretted not being able to find them again. With the desire to repay this kindness, I decided to donate to help elderly residents in need living in Myeonmokbon-dong."

Ryu Gyeong-gi, Mayor of Jungnang-gu, said, "We are grateful for this warm heart that remembers the help received during difficult times and wishes to give back to the community. We hope that such cases will spread widely and that the culture of donation will continue to grow in the region."

Seongdong-gu’s Safe Lease Contract Assistance Service for Single-Person Households Nears 100 Cases in Just 3 Months

One-Stop Guidance from Lease Contract Consultation to Expert Accompaniment During House Viewing and Housing Support Policies for Single-Person Households

Seongdong-gu (Mayor Jeong Won-o) announced that its ‘Safe Lease Contract Assistance Service for Single-Person Households,’ launched on September 19 last year, has surpassed 98 cases in just three months.

This service supports single-person households, such as young adults preparing for independent living and elderly people vulnerable to real estate information, who may be at a disadvantage in real estate contracts due to relative lack of experience and information, enabling them to secure housing without inconvenience.

Among the 98 service recipients, 92.8% (91 people) were young adults in their 20s and 30s with little contract experience. By gender, women (71%) used the service more than twice as much as men (29%). Regarding residence, 77% were current Seoul residents, and 23% were people planning to live in Seoul in the future.

Details show that lease contract consultations covering important points such as checking the registry, verifying the building register, and contract drafting accounted for 72 cases (74%), the highest proportion.

This was followed by accompaniment during house viewing (15%), housing policy guidance (7%), and housing search support providing information on lease prices and surrounding areas (4%).

Seongdong-gu appoints real estate agents familiar with local conditions as ‘Housing Safety Managers’ who provide consultations on various concerns during lease contracts, such as double contracts and ‘empty lease’ risks. They also accompany clients when viewing houses to carefully check points that might be overlooked.

Consultations and accompaniment by Housing Safety Managers are conducted twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays from 1:30 PM to 5:30 PM, with adjustments possible by agreement. Applications can be made through the ‘Seoul Single-Person Household Portal’ website or by contacting the district’s Land Management Division. The service is free and available to all single-person households regardless of age.

During consultations, tailored housing support policies for single-person households are provided, along with Seongdong-gu’s specialized services. Since 2021, the district has offered a nationwide first half-price brokerage fee service for single-person households and operates the ‘Eum Moving’ project, which supports moving vehicles and manpower for young single-person households.

Jeong Won-o, Mayor of Seongdong-gu, said, “Since about 44% of all households are single-person households, most of whom live in lease housing, the service has received great response despite its short operation period. We will continue to develop substantial projects reflecting field opinions and demands to provide practical help to single-person households.”