Ace Bed Co., Ltd. said on Tuesday that its CEO Ahn Yoo-soo donated some 200 fancy carp he raised himself to the Unification Pond located at Imjingak Pavilion in Paju, South Korea. The donated fancy carp, which are worth about 600 million won, have been raised by Ahn for the past 30 years, according to the company.
Born in Sariwon in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea, Ahn moved to the South during the the January Fourth Retreat of the Korean War. He has participated in many reunification projects, such as sending humanitarian aid to North Korea. Ahn decided to donate fancy carp in order to console those who are displaced from their homes. Some of Ahn’s relatives reportedly still live in North Hwanghae Province. The fancy carp will be released in the Unification Pond under the Bridge of Freedom in Imjingak Pavilion, which is located near South Korea's border with the North. The Pond, which is 12 meters in width and 36 meters in length, is modeled after the shape of the Korean Peninsula.
“I hope the fancy carp freely swimming at Unification Pond will bring consolation to those who are away from their family and home,” said Ahn.
Seng-Hyun Kang byhuman@donga.com