Yuhan Foundation Holds 34th Yu Jae-Ra Volunteer Award Ceremony

Jeong-Sook Min, Ji-Hyun Kim, and Gwanok Hwang Honored as Award Recipients

The Yuhan Foundation announced that it held the 34th Yu Jae-Ra Volunteer Award ceremony on the morning of October 17 at the Grand Training Hall on the 4th floor of the Yuhan Corporation headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul.

(From left) Ji-Hyun Kim, Head Nurse at Rex Gwacheon Dental Clinic; Gwanok Hwang, Auditor of the Korean Catholic Hospice Association; Hee-Mok Won, Chairman of the Yuhan Foundation; Jeong-Sook Min, Administrative Director of Hongik Hospital, are taking a commemorative photo after the 34th Yu Jae-Ra Volunteer Award ceremony on the morning of the 17th at the Yuhan Corporation headquarters in Dongjak-gu, Seoul. Yuhan Foundation

This year, Jeong-Sook Min, Administrative Director of Hongik Hospital, was honored in the nursing category, while Ji-Hyun Kim, Head Nurse at Rex Gwacheon Dental Clinic, and Gwanok Hwang, Auditor of the Korean Catholic Hospice Association, received awards in the welfare category.

In his congratulatory remarks, Hee-Mok Won, Chairman of the Yuhan Foundation, stated, "The three awardees this year have quietly dedicated themselves to supporting those in medical blind spots and vulnerable groups, embodying the values of sharing and service. By carrying on the noble will of Madam Yu Jae-Ra, the lives of these recipients, who have spread love and hope throughout our society, truly serve as exemplary models."

Min, the recipient in the nursing category, has devoted herself to medical volunteer work for marginalized groups both in Korea and abroad, based on over 30 years of expertise in nursing and public health administration. She was recognized for her consistent volunteer service to neighbors in medical blind spots and her contributions to improving public health and welfare.

Kim, the recipient in the welfare category, has participated in 13 overseas medical volunteer missions in Africa, Central and South America, and the South Pacific, providing medical benefits to more than 5,000 local residents. She also took part in emergency relief efforts following the 2011 Haiti earthquake, offering oral health education and medical volunteer services. Her free medical services and personal donations to overseas missionaries residing in Korea and vulnerable groups have been highly praised for promoting a culture of sharing.

Another welfare category recipient, Hwang, began her volunteer work by organizing the "Mary Ward Volunteer Group" in high school, serving at orphanages and nursing homes. During her nursing college years, she participated in Red Cross volunteer teams, provided medical services in underserved villages, and volunteered in leprosy communities. While working at Chungnam National University Hospital, she continued volunteering at facilities for people with severe disabilities. After retirement, she established "Beautiful Home," where she has been operating free counseling programs for cancer patients, their families, and hospice team members-efforts that have been highly commended.

The Yu Jae-Ra Volunteer Award was established by the Yuhan Foundation in 1992 to honor Madam Yu Jae-Ra (the daughter of Dr. Ilhan New, founder of Yuhan Corporation), who dedicated her life to social service and donated her entire fortune to society through the foundation. Each year, the Yuhan Foundation selects and recognizes women who have set exemplary standards of devoted service in the fields of nursing, education, and welfare.