Army captain lauded for blood donation

Army Captain Choi Chang-hwa poses with an award he got from the Red Cross in recognition for his hundreds of blood donations in this file photo. / Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense

By Lee Min-hyung

Army Captain Choi Chang-hwa is drawing praise for his decades of donating blood and unwavering plans to continue to do so. Choi started donating blood in 1999 when he was a high school student.

He has since made it a habit to donate blood, feeling a sense of responsibility and gratitude that he can help save someone's life through his good deed.

Choi has donated blood 265 times, for a combined volume reaching about 115 liters.

He believes blood donation is the world's most warmhearted way to help those in need. With that mindset, he has made an average of more than 10 blood donations each year for the past two decades.

His good deeds are not limited to blood donation; Choi has regularly donated money to a military fund whose goal is to help financially unstable soldiers, according to the Army.

“As a soldier, the best service I can do for the people is donate blood, not to mention protecting the nation,” Choi said. “As long as I am healthy enough to donate, I will continue giving my blood to those in need.”

Choi, 35, is serving as a military officer in the Army's 53rd Division in the nation's southeastern port city of Busan.