A 79-year-old with physical challenges wins LG award

LG announced on Sunday that it presented an LG award to Kim Do-soon, who has done volunteer work consistently for 27 years despite having a class-three physical disability. Kwak Kyeong-hee, who has done sewing volunteer work for 18 years, and fire lieutenant Nam Ki-yeop, who saved a woman at risk of fall, also won the award.

Kim has been teaching sewing to students with developmental disorders since 1996. She also provides free clothes alteration and bathing services to local elderly and disabled people. Even though she also struggles with leg issues, she provided volunteer service for over 20,000 hours, including 1,500 rounds of sewing classes. “I was devastated at one point with my disability. However, I found bigger happiness through volunteer work,” said Kim. “One of fondest memories is a student of mine winning at the International Abilympics.”

Gwak has been operating Baneul Handdam Cooperative and making clothes for newborns and graveclothes for the elderly living alone since 2005. She also made over 10,000 cloth masks during the pandemic and donated them to the financially struggling. Fire lieutenant Nam saved a woman in her 20s who was hanging upside down from a terrace railing in an apartment in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, where he resides in September.

The LG Award was established in 2015 based on the belief of the late LG Group Chairman Koo Bon-moo that a company should be socially responsible by awarding those who sacrificed themselves for social justice. Since Koo Kwang-mo took the position in 2018, the winners of the award expanded to people who have provided volunteer work and good deeds for others.


Do-Young Kwak now@donga.com