ChildFund Korea’s i-LEADER wins Minister of the Interior and Safety Award at Korea Public Interest Activity Impact Awards

[Financial News] ChildFund Korea’s i-LEADER, which helps children facing financial hardship develop their talents, received the Minister of the Interior and Safety Award in recognition of its achievements in public-interest activities.
According to ChildFund Korea, a specialist child welfare organization, i-LEADER, its talent development support program, won an award at the inaugural Korea Public Interest Activity Impact Awards, held that day at FKI Tower in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul.
i-LEADER helps children with talents in fields such as the arts, sports, academics and independent pursuits avoid giving up on their career goals because of financial circumstances. It supported 14,446 children from 2009 through last year.
The 2026 i-LEADER recruitment was open to children aged 7 to 18 from households with incomes at or below 100% of the median income. The application and interview screening criteria included talent-related activities within the past two years, a commitment to developing their talents, potential for growth and a vision for the future.
Selected children receive up to 12 million won a year in talent development funding. Support is tailored to each child’s stage of development and includes access to specialized training programs, the purchase of books and educational materials, participation in competitions and overseas training. Academic consulting and mentoring from experts and more experienced peers help them plan their career paths.
Among i-LEADER alumni is Park Sang-young, a gold medalist in épée fencing at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
The ceremony was established for the first time this year by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, the Korea Council of Charitable Organizations, the Korea Volunteer Council and The Better Future to identify and promote outstanding public-interest activities. A total of 31 programs received awards across six fields, including social welfare, international development, culture and the arts, and education.
Hwang Young-ki, chair of ChildFund Korea, said, "I find it deeply meaningful that the significance of ChildFund Korea’s i-LEADER program has been recognized. We started the program with the belief that every child should be able to nurture their dreams regardless of their economic or environmental circumstances."

[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter