"I Was Ashamed of Myself"...Foreign Hiker Who Cleaned Up Trail Litter Alone Moves Residents [Heartwarming Stories]

[Financial News] In the midst of a sub-zero cold snap, the quiet good deed of a foreigner who single-handedly picked up trash in the mountains has drawn attention.
According to Bupyeong District in Incheon Metropolitan City on the 25th, a 65-year-old resident identified by the surname Park, who said he has lived in Cheongcheon-dong for 20 years, recently posted an article titled "A Morning When I Was Ashamed of Myself" on the Bupyeong-gu official website.
Park, who hikes Wonjeoksan Mountain every dawn for exercise, shared an experience he had during a hike on the 17th.
He recalled, "I had a lot to do that day, so I went later than usual, around 9 a.m. On my way down toward Jangsusan Mountain, I saw a foreigner at the mountain entrance stacking up trash and pulling out garbage that had been buried in the ground."
Other hikers only glanced curiously at the foreigner, identified as Mr. A, and no one spoke to him. Unable to contain his curiosity, Park approached Mr. A and cautiously asked, "Why are you doing this all by yourself?"
Mr. A reportedly explained to Park, "When I gather the trash like this and contact my friend, he reports it to the district office for me, and then a truck comes to haul it away."
Because Mr. A was not fluent in Korean, they continued their conversation using a translation app. Park learned that Mr. A is an American who came to Korea in 2024, lives in a nearby apartment, and mainly spends his Saturdays cleaning up trash along the hiking trails.
Park said, "I asked if he worked in an environmental field, and he said no," adding, "Seeing Mr. A’s face flushed bright red from working hard on a weekend morning, I cannot describe how ashamed I felt of myself."
He continued, "I reflected on how indifferent I had been despite living in this neighborhood. After exchanging phone numbers with Mr. A, I promised that I would definitely join him next time," and added, "I truly want to praise Mr. A. He is an amazing person."


newssu@fnnews.com Kim Soo-yeon Reporter