The Korea Research Institute for Local Administration (KRILA) and Korea Veterans Health Service (KVHS) chose February 4 to deliver food and other goods to marginalized Wonju residents in two separate acts. Both public institutions are based in the Gangwon-do Province city, about 130-km southeast of Seoul.

The KVHS normally provides “medical care, rehabilitation, and welfare services to persons of distinguished service to the state,” according to its website, but 10 days before the start of this year’s five-day Lunar New Year (Seollal) holiday, its Director, Yun Jong-jin, and employees opted to bring some local produce and warmth to vulnerable groups. The donated goods were purchased at a traditional market to support Wonju-area growers and small business owners.

The KVHS volunteers brought the items purchased to the Wonju Catholic Comprehensive Social Welfare Center (WCCSWC)—"fulfilling its social responsibility as a public institution in the Wonju area,” according to a statement issued by the KVHS.  

The rice cakes and fruit purchased for the gesture will be distributed to low-income senior citizens and households with disabilities through the WCCSWC, Wonju Comprehensive Welfare Center for Persons with Disabilities, Myeongryun Comprehensive Social Welfare Center and other local social welfare facilities, according to the KVHS.

Seniors who live alone and visit the WCCSWC for free meal services were also offered a ‘Tea Therapy’ comfort program. “Though only a small gesture for the Seollal holiday, we hope it brings warm comfort to our marginalized neighbors,” KVHS Director Yun Jong-jin was quoted as saying in the statement.

Meanwhile in the same city on the same day, the KRILA visited social welfare facilities as part of a joint labor-management initiative through cooperation between its President, Yook Dong-il, and the Labor-Management Council. Supporting local farmers was also part of their motivation.

Residents of the Choi Yang-eop Thomas House Sipsibilban, a homeless self-reliance facility, and the Aenea's House, a disability welfare facility, received Wonju’s prized Totomi Rice, according to a KRILA press release. KRILA President Yook Dong-il was quoted as saying, "Through this sharing event, we hope to help our neighbors in need spend a warm holiday.”

The KRILA is a policy research institution established to facilitate decentralization and local-led administration, finance, and economies through balanced regional development, according to its website.