Kolon Oun Cultural Foundation, 24th Ujeong Seonhaeng Award Ceremony

Daesang Awardee 'Small Library Operation' Kim Sun-ja
Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeol "A Small Act of Kindness Is Love to Someone"

Kolon Oun Cultural Foundation announced on the 30th that it held the 24th Ujeong Good Deed Award ceremony.

The Ujeong Good Deed Award was established in 2001, named after the pen name 'Ujeong (牛汀)' of the late Lee Dong-chan, former chairman of Kolon Group. The award was created to encourage good deeds and widely promote a culture of sharing, inspired by the introduction of social good deed stories in Kolon Group's external newsletter "A World Worth Living" published since 1999. Since its establishment, the award has been presented annually.

Kolon Group Oun Cultural Foundation held the 24th Friendship and Good Deeds Award ceremony on the 30th at the Kolon One & Only Tower in Magok, Seoul. Kim Sun-ja (53), who has been running a small library in Seobong Village, Gokseong, Jeonnam, since 2004 and caring for underprivileged children, received the grand prize. Lee Woong-yeol, Chairman of the Oun Cultural Foundation (center front row), the awardees, and the judges are taking a group commemorative photo. (Photo by Kolon)

This year's grand prize went to Kim Sun-ja, who has been running a small library in Seobong Village, Gokseong, Jeonnam, since 2004, caring for underprivileged children. Kim started this work after recognizing the urgent need for childcare support in a neighborhood with many grandparent-headed and dual-income families. She transformed her child's room into a bookstore where local children could comfortably play and read books, and also helped provide meals. Currently, the small library has developed into a village school operating various cultural and artistic programs.

Kim Hyung-ja, who has been volunteering at residential facilities for people with intellectual disabilities since her university days and has carried out various volunteer activities for 44 years, received the Ujeong Good Deed Award main prize. In 1999, Kim established the internet cafe volunteer group "Beautiful Companion" and has served as its president, leading efforts to support people with disabilities.

The 'Moon's Family Volunteer Expedition,' which has been friends to people with severe disabilities for over 20 years, also received the main prize. In 2003, members of the online fan cafe of the webtoon Moon's Family united to donate blood donation certificates to the Korea Leukemia Children's Foundation, and since the following year, they have continuously supported and volunteered at residential facilities for people with severe disabilities, extending fandom culture into a positive influence.

The final Ujeong Good Deed Award main prize was awarded to Yang Chun-ho, who has been volunteering dental care services for about 30 years for people with developmental disabilities and other vulnerable neighbors. Yang began medical volunteer work during his student days and, after opening a dental clinic in 1997, regularly visited local developmental disability facilities to assist with dental care. Furthermore, as an adjunct professor in the university's dental hygiene department, he has spread good deeds by visiting volunteer sites with his students.

Kolon Group Oun Cultural Foundation held the 24th Friendship and Good Deeds Award ceremony on the 30th at the Kolon One & Only Tower in Magok, Seoul. Lee Woong-yeol, Chairman of the Oun Cultural Foundation (left), and Kim Sun-ja, the Grand Prize winner, are posing for a commemorative photo. (Provided by Kolon)

Honorary Chairman Lee Woong-yeol, who succeeded the late chairman, has served as chairman of the Oun Cultural Foundation since 2014 and has attended the award ceremony every year without fail even after retiring from management in 2018 to encourage the awardees.

In his greeting on the day, Honorary Chairman Lee said, "At this moment, the good deeds unfolding throughout our society may seem small, but the recipients have personally proven that from these seeds, someone feels love and gains strength, and over time, they bear abundant fruit." He added, "I will also contribute to sowing more seeds of good deeds and encourage many people to participate, making the world a more 'worth living' place."