Lee Woong-yeol, Kolon Group honorary chairman, presents Wojeong Good Deed Awards; sign-language volunteer group with 27-year history wins grand prize

\ \ [Financial News] The Owoon Cultural Foundation, chaired by Lee Woong-yeol, honorary chairman of Kolon Group, held the 26th Wojeong Good Deed Awards ceremony on the 27th at Kolon One&Only Tower in Magok, Seoul. This year’s grand prize went to Haneulgeurim, Honam University’s sign-language club, which has spent 27 years providing sign-language education and supporting people with hearing impairments.
The foundation chairman said that day, “Artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to do our work for us, but ultimately it is people who endure difficult moments together and fill the gaps in one another’s lives,” adding, “I will continue to use the Wojeong Good Deed Awards to uncover hidden acts of kindness, publicize them widely, and work to ensure that the value of sharing lives on.”
The foundation chairman has served in the role since 2014, succeeding the late Lee Dong-chan, former chairman of Kolon Group. The Wojeong Good Deed Awards were established in 2001 to publicize good deeds and heartwarming stories and encourage volunteers.
Grand prize winner Haneulgeurim began as a sign-language education group of eight students and has since grown to 120 members. Members help students with hearing impairments in their studies and social participation, and provide support such as sign-language interpretation at sporting events for people with disabilities. Fifteen graduates are now working as professional sign-language interpreters.
The main awards went to Lee Jin-hyeok (43), a volunteer video producer; Jecheon FC Children’s Soccer Team coaches Park Jeong-hui (59), Eom Gi-seong (58), and Heo Jin-ho (57); and Chamsarang Maeul, a volunteer group at a residential childcare facility.
Since 2010, Lee has produced fundraising videos for neighbors in need. The amount raised through these efforts exceeds 7 billion won. The three Jecheon FC coaches founded the soccer team in 2008 and have coached about 500 youth players to date. Since 1997, Chamsarang Maeul has supported children in residential childcare facilities with their studies and cultural activities.
The special award went to Kim Yong-chun (85), who received a main award in 2019. Since 1997, Kim has continued volunteering by recording books for people with visual impairments, producing 176 audiobooks to date.

[email protected] Kim Mi-hee Reporter