Heo Jung, Director of Eden Hospital, Selected as Recipient of the Gwangju Citizen Award

For Contributions to Local Community Development in Healthcare and Social Service
Award Ceremony to Be Held on the 24th During "Citizen's Day" Celebration

Heo Jung Eden Hospital Director

The city of Gwangju announced on May 14 that Heo Jung, Director of Eden Hospital, has been selected as the recipient of the 38th Gwangju Citizen Award.

The Gwangju Citizen Award is a prestigious honor presented to citizens who have made significant contributions to the development and reputation of Gwangju. It has been awarded annually since 1987, marking its 38th year in 2025.

Eden Hospital, operated by Director Heo Jung, has led the way in promoting natural childbirth culture. The Korean Womenlink selected it as a "Beautiful Hospital," and the Korean Committee for UNICEF designated it as a "Baby-Friendly Hospital."

While serving as President of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Chapter of the Korean Red Cross, Director Heo donated a total of 153 million won, including Red Cross membership fees, earning him a place as the 128th member of the Red Cross Honors Club nationwide. He also signed a social contribution agreement with the Gwangju-Jeonnam Blood Center, taking the lead in fundraising and relief activities.

To foster local talent and support marginalized groups, Director Heo has donated approximately 1.1 billion won over 20 years, including 420 million won to the Chonnam National University development fund. In recognition of these contributions, he was awarded the Order of Civil Merit in 2022.

As the fourth chairman of the Daedong Cultural Foundation, Director Heo promoted a variety of cultural projects, including the bimonthly publication of Daedong Culture, cultural heritage preservation and care activities, and international cultural exchange initiatives. During his tenure as chairman of the Baekbeom Cultural Foundation, he operated the "Baekbeom Historical Culture Experience Class" to realize the legacy of Kim Gu?peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula?thus contributing to the preservation of local traditional culture and the promotion of patriotic spirit.

Director Heo has contributed to the development of the local community in various fields, serving as the first vice president of the Gwangju Sports Association for the Disabled, chairman of the Gwangju Crime Victim Support Center, chairman of the Gwangju Safety Culture Promotion Committee, president of the Jeonnam Community Chest of Korea, and chairman of the Gwangju-Jeonnam Research Institute.

The award ceremony for the 38th Gwangju Citizen Award will be held on May 24 during the 60th Citizen's Day celebration. The recipient will receive a commemorative plaque and be enshrined in the "Citizen Award Promotion Space," an honorary area dedicated to awardees.

To date, the city has presented the Citizen Award and the Hall of Honor to 160 individuals and 9 organizations across five fields: social service, academia, culture and arts, sports, and regional economic development. However, as candidates from diverse fields were recognized, there were challenges in identifying recipients and concerns about discrepancies in achievements. Therefore, starting this year, the Citizen Award and the Hall of Honor have been merged, and a single individual with the most distinguished achievements will be honored with the "Gwangju Citizen Award."