Supporting War Veterans in Extreme Heat: Shincheonji Seoul Dongbu Branch Provides Home Care and Seasonal Nutrition
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| Shincheonji Volunteer Group members cleaning air conditioners, fans, and other appliances at the home of a national merit recipient in Dobong-gu on 23rd July. |
Targeted Summer Relief for Vulnerable Senior Patriots
As severe summer heatwaves sweep across urban metropolitan areas, protecting the physical health and living conditions of elderly war veterans has become a vital community concern. To support the well-being of Korean War and Vietnam War veterans, the Shincheonji Volunteer Group Seoul Dongbu Branch executed a two-day patriotic outreach programme on 23rd and 24th July. Organised under the branch's ongoing "Wise Summer Life" campaign, the initiative combined direct residential infrastructure maintenance with seasonal nutritional support to express ongoing respect for national defenders.
23rd July (Dobong-gu): Direct Residential Care and Home Sanitisation
On the first day of the operation, volunteers conducted targeted home-visitation care at the residences of elderly 6·25 Korean War veterans living in Dobong-gu, Seoul:
- Infrastructure Cleaning: Volunteers performed deep cleaning and disinfection on home air conditioner filters, sanitized dust-covered electric fans, and restored bathroom hygiene to secure a safer living environment.
- Emotional Engagement: Volunteers spent time watching patriotic appreciation videos alongside the veterans, delivering handwritten gratitude messages and acting as attentive conversational companions.
- Warm Reciprocal Actions: Kim Sang-mook (96), a Korean War veteran, expressed relief over the clean fan, likening the volunteers' arrival to "finding an oasis in the desert." Another 96-year-old veteran, Oh Il-se, showed his gratitude by personally frying chive pancakes (buchujeon) to treat the visiting volunteers. An attending home care worker, whose own father was a buried Korean War veteran, expressed deep emotional resonance upon witnessing the home maintenance.
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| National merit recipients eating Samgyetang on the 5th floor of Hara Plaza in Junggye-dong on 24th July. |
24th July (Nowon-gu): Midsummer Samgyetang Banquet and Peace Testimonies
On the following day, the Seoul Dongbu Branch hosted a midsummer health banquet at Hara Plaza in Junggye-dong, Nowon-gu:
- Nutritional Hospitality: The branch invited approximately 20 Korean War and Vietnam War veterans to serve them freshly prepared ginseng chicken soup (samgyetang) to reinforce their stamina during the peak heatwave.
- Historical Reflection: During the meal, Vietnam War veteran Kang Taek-woo (86) shared a poignant testimony regarding the reality of war, recalling that only 25 out of 65 comrades in his unit survived. Kang emphasised the absolute necessity of peace, remarking that war yields nothing but destruction and must never recur.
Sustaining Private-Led Veterans' Welfare in Local Communities
The Seoul Dongbu Branch emphasised that the project was designed to convert abstract gratitude into tangible, practical care for elderly heroes. A representative from the branch stated that the group remains committed to systematically monitoring the well-being of national veterans and expanding diverse civic programs to preserve the values of patriotic service across the local region.
Source: https://vo.la/RrYfUNZ
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