Jeonju's "Faceless Angel" Donates 1.13 Billion Won Over 26 Years, Touching More Than 7,200 Households

Support for Child-Headed Households and Others
Scholarships Provided from Elementary to University Students

On January 9, Jeonju City in North Jeolla Province announced the details of how donations from the "Faceless Angel" of Jeonju-who has continued anonymous acts of kindness for 26 years-have been used.

According to Yonhap News Agency on this day, the total amount donated by Jeonju's "Faceless Angel" over 26 years has reached 1,134,882,520 won. The donor began by entrusting 584,000 won through an elementary school student to the former Jungnosong 2-dong Community Center on April 3, 2000. Since then, the donations have continued steadily for 26 years, with 27 separate contributions made up to last year. The number of households helped by these acts of kindness has reached approximately 7,200, including residents of Nosong-dong and neighboring areas.

Donation left by the "Faceless Angel" in Jeonju last year. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

In the first year of donations in 2000, Jeonju City used the funds from the "Faceless Angel" to provide coal briquettes and rice to 12 households, and in the following year, rice was delivered to 18 households. Starting in 2002, cash support was also provided. The city used the angel’s donations to provide cash (ranging from 100,000 to 200,000 won), rice, coal briquettes, and heating oil vouchers to 6,937 underprivileged households in the area, including child-headed households and elderly people living alone. Since 2017, the city has also provided scholarships to 20 students from five schools in Nosong-dong each year, using a total of 13.6 million won from the donations.

In 2022, in accordance with the angel’s wishes, 70 million won in tuition support was provided to 35 university students in Jeonju. From 2024, the scope of giving has expanded further, with 200,000 won in cash delivered to vulnerable households in seven districts, including Nosong-dong, Pungnam-dong, Jungang-dong, Inhu 1-3-dong, and Jinbuk-dong. Scholarships have also been awarded to 40 students from five local schools, including Pungnam Elementary School, Dong Elementary School, and Shinil Middle School. As a result, by the end of last year, a total of 7,241 households, including students, had received help from the angel.

Cash and piggy banks left by the "Faceless Angel" in Jeonju. Photo by Yonhap News

The city establishes support plans through the Community Chest of Korea and distributes the donations via the same organization. The recipients include basic livelihood security beneficiaries, those just above the poverty line, and citizens with incomes below 100% of the median, all selected based on recommendations from local bank account managers, social welfare officials, and district heads. Cash is transferred directly to individual bank accounts around the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays.

The donation of 90,046,000 won left by the angel on December 30 last year will be distributed to low-income households after a support plan is established this month. A city official stated, "The donations from the angel have provided significant support to struggling families, both in cash and in kind, greatly helping the livelihoods of low-income households. In line with these noble intentions, we will ensure that the entire amount is delivered to those in need and as scholarships for students."