Saemaeul Geumgo Launches 'Love Jomdori Movement' Across Seongbuk-gu

Items such as white rice collected through the Love’s Jomdori Movement were delivered to low-income and disadvantaged neighbors in the community, wishing for a warm winter together.

The custom of ‘Jomdori,’ saving rice to help neighbors in need, has evolved today into the Saemaeul Geumgo’s special social contribution project, the ‘Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement.’

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Jong-il] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) announced that the ‘Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement’ is being carried out at various Saemaeul Geumgo branches throughout the district.

On the 17th, Jangwi 2-dong Saemaeul Geumgo (Chairman Han Jong-yeol) collected 485 bags of 20kg white rice through active participation from executives, employees, and local residents, and donated them to the Jangwi 2-dong Community Service Center (Head Kim Yong-hwan). The market value is approximately 25 million KRW, and the rice was delivered to neighbors in need within the community. The ‘Love’s Jomdori Rice Delivery Ceremony’ has been an ongoing event at Jangwi 2-dong Saemaeul Geumgo for several years, greatly contributing to practicing neighborly love in the local community.

Han Jong-yeol, Chairman of Jangwi 2-dong Saemaeul Geumgo, expressed, “I am grateful to everyone who participated in the fundraising to keep the promise of sharing, and we will continue to actively help neighbors in need.”

On the 19th, Seokgwan-dong Saemaeul Geumgo (Chairman Kim Heung-jun) conducted the ‘Love’s Jomdori Movement’ to help neighbors in need, collecting 102 bags of 10kg white rice and donating them to the Seokgwan-dong Community Service Center (Head Jeong Chang-seop).

Kim Heung-jun, Chairman of Seokgwan-dong Saemaeul Geumgo, said, “We thank everyone who participated in the fundraising, and Saemaeul Geumgo will strive even more to make Seokgwan-dong a happy place without any marginalized neighbors.”

In response, Jeong Chang-seop, Head of Seokgwan-dong, said, “The donated rice will be properly delivered to neighbors in need such as basic livelihood security recipients, elderly living alone, and those in welfare blind spots. We deeply thank Seokgwan-dong Saemaeul Geumgo for sharing their warm hearts for the community’s disadvantaged neighbors.”

On the same day, Seongbuk Jeil Saemaeul Geumgo in Gireum 1-dong (Chairman Hwang Ha-yeon) held the ‘MG Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Support Event,’ donating 120 bags of 20kg white rice, 360kg of rice cake soup rice cakes, and 120kg of dumplings collected through the ‘Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement’ during the winter. Hwang Ha-yeon, Chairman of Seongbuk Jeil Saemaeul Geumgo, said, “Through the Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement, we hope that low-income families can have a rich and warm Lunar New Year holiday.”

Jomdori means ‘saving rice,’ a traditional custom where mothers in the past would take small amounts of rice while cooking and collect them in a small jar to help neighbors in need. During the 1998 IMF financial crisis, when the number of low-income households rapidly increased, Saemaeul Geumgo revived this custom and started the special social contribution project, the ‘Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement,’ to overcome difficulties together with neighbors.

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, “I deeply thank everyone who participated in the ‘Hope Sharing Love’s Jomdori Movement’ taking place throughout the district. The warm neighborly love gathered will be a great support for neighbors going through difficult times and will fill the community with warm affection, making Seongbuk a better place to live.”