Han Jong-seop (88) received the 'National Medal of Merit, Pomegranate Medal' on the 14th. Neighbors recommended her for her contributions by donating the wealth she accumulated from running a yarn factory her entire life, leading the government to award the medal. The National Medal of Merit includes five ranks: the Mugunghwa Medal, the Peony Medal, the Camellia Medal, the Magnolia Medal, and the Pomegranate Medal.
Han came from Pyongyang and lost her family during the retreat in January 1951, escaping to the South. She secured a job in Daegu using the weaving skills she had learned before fleeing and met her husband around that time. The couple moved to Seoul in 1957 and established a yarn factory in Yongdu-dong. They also raised six children. Later, her health deteriorated, and she sold the factory to purchase a commercial building.
Since 2021, Han has donated a total of 1 billion won to Korea University Medical Center. This came from selling the commercial property she acquired from the money earned running the yarn factory. Additionally, she has pledged to donate her current dwelling, valued at about 900 million won, after her passing.
Han has thought about doing good for society for a long time but has been uncertain about how to do so. After her husband passed away, she decided to donate her wealth to society. Han noted, "I hope patients recover quickly and are discharged from the hospital after receiving good treatment."
On this day, the Ministry of the Interior and Safety held the 'National Recommendation Award Ceremony' and presented national medals and awards to a total of 20 individuals. The national recommendation award system honors neighbors who practice sharing and service, based on recommendations from the public, and this year marks its 14th anniversary.
This time, one national medal, five national certificates, six presidential citations, and eight prime ministerial citations were awarded, totaling 20 recipients. The late Lee Soon-nan, who donated 850 million won to Seoul National University after saving for years, pharmacist Cho Geun-sik (68), who has built 20 schools and supported scholarships in Laos for the past decade, and Yoon Young-geun (66), who served for 32 years despite disabilities, received national certificates.
Kim Kwang-joo (82), who offered free haircuts to 40,000 marginalized individuals over 58 years, and the couple Kwon Yong-ho (74) and Kim Dong-jo (70), who donated 40 million won annually for five years from farming, received presidential citations.
Lee Jong-kyu (74), who has provided medical services in rural Uljin for over 16 years, and Yang Bo-ra Mae (44), who donated blood 512 times and 350 units of plasma, were selected as recipients of the prime ministerial citation.