Campaign of donations to help with dismissed workers' legal fees meets its second goal and still going strong
By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter
On Mar. 5, MIT Professor Noam Chomsky sent a copy of his book “Making the Future” to the office of the Beautiful Foundation in Seoul's Jongno district. Along with the book, he sent 47 dollars, expressing his interest in participating in the so-called “yellow envelope” campaign.
The campaign was set up to support the workers and family members who have been ordered to compensate company damages and whose property has been confiscated by the courts.
In 33 days, the Beautiful Foundation’s yellow envelope campaign has reached its second goal, having collected 940 million won (US$877,960) in donations, the foundation said on Mar. 14. This was made possible by the participation of 17,757 donors.
Famous donors have also done their part. After singer Lee Hyo-ri, 35, made a splash by sending 47,000 won ($43.89) along with a handwritten letter, others chipped in, including film director Lim Soon-rye, 54, actor Kim Bu-seon, 53, comic artists Kang Full, 40, and Ju Ho-min, 33, and pro wrestler Kim Nam-hun, 40.
Astronaut Yi So-yeon, 36, who is currently studying in the US, sent US$50, expressing her hope that children would not suffer emotional damage.
Donations continue to pour in from the general public. One woman who contributed wrote about her 17-month-old daughter who is currently fighting cancer. “When my daughter beats this disease, I want there to be more justice in the world she'll be living in,” she said.
One six-year-old child stuffed his entire savings of 2,500 won (US$2.34) into an envelope and sent it in.
There was also a prison inmate who sent in a stamp worth 47,000 won.
The Beautiful Foundation will be holding the third round of donations through Apr. 30. Seo Kyung-won, who is heading up the campaign at the Beautiful Foundation, urged the public to stay involved to ensure that the yellow envelope campaign does not become a passing fad.
Donations are currently being accepted at Social Ants (socialants.org), an online platform for crowdfunding.
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