Anonymous person donates W100m to Salvation Army for third straight year

A citizen donated 100 million won ($94,250) to a Salvation Army red kettle for the third year in a row.

The Salvation Army Korea Territory headquarters in Seoul said it received a 100 million won check through one of its charity kettles at the entrance to Myeong-dong, Seoul.

At around 7:45 p.m. on Sunday, a man who looked to be in his 50s to 60s delivered an envelope with tears in his eyes to a Salvation Army cadet ringing a bell near a kettle.

On the envelope was written simply “From a resident of Sinwol-dong.”

“A gentleman handed me an envelope and said, ‘Why do tears come into my eyes when I am doing a good thing?’” the official of the Salvation Army said.

“‘I came here after telling my daughters that I would go out to donate. So I want to take a selfie as a proof of the donation.’ Then he went.”

Two days later, when the army opened the kettle at a bank to check the donations, it found a 100 million won check and a letter in the envelope.

The anonymous citizen donated 105.7 million won and 110 million won last year and the year before last, respectively, the Salvation Army said.

The letter read, “I thank my parents for giving me a healthy body and mind, and loving and impressing me all their life. If there are those less fortunate seniors who revived the country from poverty and led its rapid economic development, indeed they deserve help from their neighbors and the country.”

On Tuesday, the Salvation Army’s brass band performed on a specially prepared stage in Seoul Plaza to herald the closing of its kettle fund-raising drive on Christmas Eve. The event was also an expression of gratitude to members of the public for giving and also urged people to donate to the very end.

Choi Soo-hyun, governor of the Financial Supervisory Service, and representatives from 37 financial institutions attended the event, where they delivered 930 million won in a combined donation to the Salvation Army.

By Chun Sung-woo (swchun@heraldcorp.com)