- Dr. Jongwon Kim Honored for 25 Years of Dedicated Emergency Medical Service in Medically Underserved Inje County

- Award Includes KRW 30 Million and a Commemorative Plaque in Recognition of His Commitment

- New Initiative Launched to Recognize Everyday Heroes Making a Difference in Their Communities

 

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation (Chairperson: In-hwa Chang) held an award ceremony at POSCO Center in Seoul on March 25 and announced Dr. Jongwon Kim (60), Director of Inje Korea Hospital in Gangwon Province, as the inaugural recipient of the Cheongam Heroes Award, a new recognition established this year.

 

The Cheongam Heroes Award was created to honor individuals who have quietly dedicated themselves to serving others and creating a positive impact in communities often overlooked by society. While the POSCO TJ Park Prize for Community Development & Philanthropy recognizes individuals and organizations whose contributions have had a broad national or global impact, the Cheongam Heroes Award focuses on practitioners working on the front lines of everyday life, preserving the well-being and resilience of local communities through sustained dedication.

 

An orthopedic surgeon and graduate of Korea University College of Medicine, Dr. Kim chose to serve in Inje County, a medically underserved region with a population of approximately 30,000, rather than pursue a career in a major metropolitan area. For the past 25 years, he has devoted himself to protecting the health and lives of local residents. The Inje Korea Hospital, which he operates, is the county's only general hospital and serves as the community's last line of medical care for emergency patients who cannot easily be transferred to larger cities due to the region's mountainous geography.

 

Despite ongoing shortages of medical personnel and financial pressures, Dr. Kim has continued to operate a 24-hour emergency department. To ensure that no patient forgoes treatment because of financial hardship, he has kept fees for non-covered medical services as affordable as possible. More recently, he established an outpatient obstetrics and gynecology clinic to help address the severe shortage of women's healthcare services in the region, exemplifying his unwavering belief that saving lives must always come before financial considerations.

 

A representative of the POSCO TJ Park Foundation commented, "Dr. Jongwon Kim exemplifies the spirit of Cheongam through his quiet dedication to serving others where help is needed most. Beginning with this award, we hope to establish a virtuous cycle in which Cheongam Heroes continue to grow into future recipients of the POSCO TJ Park Prize, further strengthening the moral foundation of our society."

 

The Foundation plans to continue identifying and recognizing Cheongam Heroes who have made meaningful contributions to overcoming regional disparities and restoring community values. Each recipient will receive KRW 30 million and a commemorative plaque in recognition of their outstanding service.