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Booyoung chief makes donations to 280 Suncheon residents
Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun / Courtesy of Booyoung Group
By Lee Kyung-min
By Lee Kyung-min
Booyoung Group Chairman Lee Joong-keun gave up to 100 million won ($76,500) each to 280 people in his hometown of Suncheon, South Jeollla Province, the firm said Wednesday.
The group said Lee has given a combined 140 billion won to his former elementary and middle school classmates and Suncheon residents, as well as people he served with in the military.
Lee wired between 26 million won and 90.2 million won to 280 Suncheon residents from late last month to early this month. The amounts are gift tax-deducted.
The amounts given were calculated based on the number of years they had lived in the region.
The group said Lee wanted to express his gratitude to those who helped him when he was young and poor.
“This is personal and has nothing to do with the company,” the group said.
In 2021, he gave away between 100 million and 1 billion won to his non-immediate relatives.
Booyoung built a large multi-purpose education and child care facility last year in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
The facility, Woojeong Cambodia School, houses kindergartens, day care centers and grade schools in Phnom Penh's Booyoung Town.
About 1,800 children will be able to attend classes at the five-story building.
The project is part of a corporate social responsibility program he led over the past few years.
The efforts to help enhance housing and learning infrastructure in the developing country is part of Lee's commitment to give back to communities.
Lee has donated over 1 trillion won to help underprivileged children in Korea and developing countries.