"I Want to Give Back" Daegu Centenarian Sets Record as Oldest Major Donor to Community Chest of Korea

The back view of the nation's oldest Honor Society member (100 years old) and the sharing message, "Love and sharing are God's will." Community Chest of Korea

The Community Chest of Korea (Chairman Kim Byungjun) announced on November 11 that a senior citizen born in 1926, residing in Suseong District, Daegu, has joined as the 270th Honor Society member in Daegu.

The organization stated that the centenarian's membership marks the birth of the oldest Honor Society member across the 17 provinces and metropolitan cities nationwide, setting a meaningful milestone in the history of charitable giving in Korea.

This member, who chose to remain anonymous, worked as a public servant for 44 years in his youth and continued to work for a private company for 10 more years after retirement, living a life characterized by diligence and responsibility. He said, "Thanks to the benefits I received from my neighbors, the country, and society, I was able to live a stable life. My children were also able to grow up well and lead happy lives." He expressed his intention to give back, saying, "Now, I want to return that grace to society." Reflecting on stories about Honor Society members he read in the newspaper, he added, "I wanted to share warmth with society just like they did." These words conveyed the wisdom of a century-long life and a warm philosophy of sharing.

An anonymous Honor Society member who turned 100 this year received a certificate of recognition. Community Chest of Korea

Shin Heungsik, President of the Daegu branch of the Community Chest of Korea, said, "The centenarian's joining of the Honor Society is a moving message that transcends generations and symbolizes the history of giving in Korea. I sincerely pay tribute to this meaningful decision to continue a century-long life, which has walked alongside the nation's development, through sharing."

The Community Chest of Korea Honor Society is a group of individual major donors who have donated or pledged at least 100 million won. Since its launch in 2007, the society has reached a cumulative membership of 3,759 people and a total donation amount of 425.4 billion won.