Overseas Korean joins charity group for generous donors

Community Chest of Korea said its club of rich donors, Honor Society, received an overseas Korean businessman as a member for the first time.

The exclusive membership is given only to those who donate at least 100 million won ($92,000) to the charity organization.

The nation’s largest charity organization said Honor Society enrolled 54-year-old Kim Hui-sang, the president of a local trade company in Hong Kong, as its first overseas Korean and the 162th member of the club.

Community Chest of Korea said that many wealthy Koreans living overseas are willing to donate to charities in their motherland but do not know how.

Kim, who is residing in Hong Kong, said that his example would boost the participation rate of Korean expats in charity activities in Korea.

Founded in 2007 to stimulate charity donations from wealthy individuals, Honor Society currently has 163 members, from whom it has raised about 18.3 billion won ($16.8 million).

By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)