Achievement of 40 Billion Won Scholarship Fund
A Fruit of Sharing by Citizens and Businesses
Nurturing Talent, Investing in the Future
Pohang’s Commitment to Retaining Local Talent
The "reliable engine" that drives Pohang's talented individuals forward without fatigue has been restarted once again.
Celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, the Pohang Scholarship Foundation (Chairman Kangduk Lee, Mayor of Pohang) held the 5th "Pohang Scholars' Day" event on the 26th, inviting donors who have shared the commitment to nurturing local talent to express their gratitude.
The Pohang Scholarship Foundation held the 5th "Pohang Scholars' Day" event on the 26th at The Queen, inviting donors who have shared the commitment to nurturing local talent to express their gratitude. Photo by Pohang City
The Pohang Scholarship Foundation was established in 1990 with an initial fund of 256 million won, contributed by the late Jeonghwan Ko, then-appointed mayor of Pohang and the foundation's first chairman, Pohang City's endowment, and personal donations from local figures.
Since Kangduk Lee took office as chairman in 2014, he has led the foundation for 12 years, steadily expanding the scholarship fund through the voluntary participation of citizens and businesses.
As a result, the foundation officially achieved the symbolic milestone of raising 40 billion won in scholarship funds at this event, setting a new benchmark for the "Pohang-style talent development model."
Notably, Chairman Kangduk Lee has taken the lead not only as the person responsible for overseeing the foundation's operations but also as a donor who actively promotes a culture of giving. This year, he also participated as one of the donors who contributed the most mileage, adding significance to the event. This was seen as a symbolic moment, demonstrating that the chairman is not just in a position to encourage others but is also an active participant in giving.
This year, a variety of everyday acts of donation deepened the significance of reaching the 40 billion won milestone. Voluntary sharing across generations and social groups continued, including the piggy bank donation from children at the Neulpureunmaeum Regional Children's Center, the combined volunteering and donations by the Pohang Seonjae Volunteer Group, and the scholarship fund contributions from Pohang Myeongdo School's faculty and parents.
On this day, three students, including Seungmin Kim from Class 1, Grade 6 at Dongbu Elementary School, represented the Neulpureunmaeum Regional Children's Center and moved attendees by delivering a scholarship donation of 500,000 won collected through children's piggy bank fundraising.
In addition, donations from organizations and individuals such as 3 million won from the Pohang Seonjae Volunteer Group, 2 million won from Dreamtech, 2 million won from Gwamegi Bonga Beomjin Trading, 5 million won from the Pohang Branch of the Gyeongbuk Women's Entrepreneurs Association, 5 million won from Yuseong Nursing Hospital, 10 million won each from Hanseong Heavy Industries, Daedong, and Seo Pohang Nonghyup (Pohang School Meal Support Center), 50 million won from IM Bank, and 100 million won from The Queen contributed to achieving the 40 billion won scholarship fund goal.
Based on these funds, the Pohang Scholarship Foundation has provided a total of over 15.3 billion won in scholarships to 13,390 local students to date. Additionally, through the operation of the Pohang Dormitory in Seoul, around 150 students each year are able to focus on their studies in a stable residential environment.
Over 120 people, including major and long-term donors, attended the event to celebrate the achievement of the 40 billion won scholarship fund. The event featured the presentation of plaques of appreciation to donors and a scholarship award ceremony.
Chairman Kangduk Lee stated, "Thanks to the collective will of each and every donor who practiced sharing in their respective positions for the centennial vision of Pohang, we have achieved the result of a 40 billion won scholarship fund. As chairman of the foundation and as a citizen donor, I will continue to fulfill my responsibilities to help local talent pursue their dreams."
The event began with a pre-ceremony performance by the Youth Orchestra, followed by a progress report and a video presentation on the foundation's history. It concluded successfully with a time of sharing gratitude with the donors.
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