Kim Sun-ho (43), who lives in Daejeon, recently did an "open run" to a blood donation center. He said his elementary school–aged daughter asked him after hearing a rumor that donors could receive a "Dubai jjondeuk cookie." Kim said, "I received a Dubai jjondeuk cookie by donating blood after failing to buy one several times even after lining up at the shops."
◇ Red Cross turns to Dubai jjondeuk cookie event as blood reserves flash red
According to the Korean Red Cross on the 31st, 117 of 154 blood donation centers nationwide (75%) offered the Dubai jjondeuk cookie as a donor gift over the past two weeks. In the Seoul West, Incheon, Daegu, North Gyeongsang and Ulsan regions, the event was held twice. At some centers, people rushed in as soon as doors opened, and the prepared Dubai jjondeuk cookies quickly ran out. Some even said they were "going to donate blood to get a Dubai jjondeuk cookie."
The Red Cross resorted to the Dubai jjondeuk cookie event because blood reserves fell below the appropriate level of five days' supply. On the 14th in particular, reserves dropped to three days' supply. Any further decline would trigger entry into the "caution stage," under which surgery delays must be considered. It was just before the blood supply was about to flash a red light.
An official at the Red Cross said, "January is a typical off-season when group donations decline due to school vacations and participation falls as overseas travel increases," adding, "Cold snaps in winter also affect the drop in donations."
Fortunately, reserves recovered after the Dubai jjondeuk cookie event. After the Seoul Jungbu Blood Center launched the first event on the 16th, reserves rose to 3.4 days' supply. As the event spread to centers nationwide, reserves surpassed five days' supply starting on the 25th.
Also, from the 16th to the 29th, the number of donors was 112,001, up 32% from the same period a year earlier. First-time donors in particular totaled 9,060, an 86% increase.
A Red Cross official said, "Dubai jjondeuk cookies are difficult to procure in large quantities, so we secured supplies through cooperation and donations from nearby cafes," adding, "Around the Lunar New Year holiday, donations tend to decline due to increased travel, so reserves may decrease later."
◇ Blood donors dwindle amid low birthrate and aging population; government says it is reviewing mid- to long-term measures
Situations in which blood reserves fall below the appropriate level due to donation shortages occur frequently. Last year, on 117 out of 365 days, reserves were below five days' supply. The number of donors also fell by nearly 20% over the past 10 years, from 1.52 million to 1.2 million.
The decline is especially pronounced among younger donors. Last year, donors in their teens fell 34% from 2019, and those in their 20s fell 14%. Group donations at schools and military units decreased, and individual participation waned as external volunteer work was excluded from college admissions. A shrinking young population due to the low birthrate and aging also played a role.
The government and the Red Cross say mid- to long-term measures are needed. The key tasks are bringing in new donors and increasing repeat donations. The government is reviewing raising the upper age limit for donation from the current 69, abolishing ALT testing (liver enzyme testing), and expanding paid leave for blood donation.
An official at the Health and Welfare Ministry said, "The number of donors has decreased, but the number of people donating repeatedly has increased, keeping the number of donation cases steady," adding, "We are reviewing responses such as easing age limits for donation to reflect the trend of a low birthrate and aging population."