89-year-old woman donates W500 mil. to Korea University Medicine

Han Jong-seob / Courtesy of Korea University Medicine

By Bahk Eun-ji

Han Jong-seob, an 89-year-old resident of Anam-dong, Seongbuk District in northern Seoul, has donated more than 500 million won to Korea University (KU) Medicine, a foundation operating all of KU's medical facilities and its colleges of medicine and nursing.

According to KU Medicine, Han delivered 506 million won to the hospital recently after selling her house located close to the hospital.

“I hope KU Medicine will keep fighting against all the bad diseases so that people can live comfortably,” Han said in a recent ceremony at the hospital to commemorate her donation.

“I'm so relieved that I can make a donation finally although I made up my mind to do so a while ago. It's not because I have a lot of money, but because I like this hospital.”

She said she remembered how the Anam-dong hospital, which was integrated with KU in 1971, took the lead in making efforts to contain infectious diseases after the Korean War in the 1950s. “I hope this hospital will fight against bad diseases just like it did in the past, so that many people can live without worrying about illnesses.”

Han said she lost her family during the war in 1951 when she moved to the South from the North. She has been using the hospital as a local resident ever since she settled in Anam-dong, where she raised her six children.

“It may be a small amount, but I hope that a lot of good energy will be centered on the hospital to create a better society where everyone can live a healthy and happy life,” she said.

Kim Young-hoon, president and CEO of KU Medicine, said, “We express our deep respect for her as she did not lose hope in the face of countless hardships and adversity throughout her life and for the way she showed how to share with other people.”

He added, “We will keep doing our best to fight against contagious viruses and diseases as Han wishes.”