Donation Drive Raises W150 Mln for Young Rape Victim

Donations worth 150 million won (130,000 U.S. dollars) have been collected to help an eight-year-old girl whose rape has ignited national outrage in Korea over sexual offenders.

The Community Chest of Korea yesterday said it began receiving donations specifically for the victim, identified only as “Na-young,” from last month. It collected 63 million won (54,300 dollars) from 371 individual and institutional donors nationwide in October, including from residents of Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, where the crime was committed.

In addition, 40,000 people participated in a donation campaign staged by Naver, a popular Internet portal, and offered a combined 87 million won (75,000 dollars) through the form of “Happy Beans.”

The donation amount is likely to rise as the Community Chest of Korea will continue collecting donations without a deadline.

The organization plans to use part of the donations for the victim’s physical and mental therapy first, and support her family’s living expenses. It will soon discuss with each portal site participating in the donation campaign to finalize specifics how to use the money.

A source at the charity organization said, “Instead of delivering the donation in a lump sum, we are considering monthly payments. We are also planning to give the remainder of the donations after medical and living expenses are paid and when she becomes an adult.”

starsky@donga.com