![A national merit holder poses for a "longevity portrait" at the "To You Who Made Today" event organized by Seoul's Seocho-gu district and Hoban Group. [Seocho-gu]](https://wimg.heraldcorp.com/news/cms/2026/08/07/news-p.v1.20260807.12db13c7c9c549a7b7867fefa5955701_P1.jpg)
Seocho-gu in Seoul said Sunday it had held an event called "To You Who Made Today," gifting "longevity portraits" — formal photographs traditionally believed to bring long life — to more than 30 national merit holders ahead of the 81st Liberation Day.
Such portraits are considered a meaningful keepsake, but the cost of professional photography, the difficulty of traveling to a studio and, more recently, the extreme summer heat have made it hard for elderly veterans to have them taken.
The event was organized to express gratitude for the sacrifice and dedication of national merit holders and to promote a culture of honoring veterans in everyday life. Hoban Group, which has its headquarters in Seocho-gu, sponsored the occasion.
The district handled participant recruitment, venue preparation and other logistics. On Thursday, it invited the veterans to the Seocho-gu Culture Center, where they had their portraits taken and received expressions of appreciation.
Hoban Group contributed through volunteer services and financial support. The company's employee volunteer corps, Hoban Love and Sharing, took part in the photography sessions as well as hair, makeup and companionship services. Employees also pooled personal donations to cover the cost of printing and framing the photos, and provided refreshments and commemorative gifts for the veterans.
"I am delighted that we were able to join hands with a local company to express our gratitude for the sacrifice and dedication of the national merit holders who built today's Republic of Korea," Seocho-gu District Chief Jeon Seong-su said. "We will continue to do our utmost to honor veterans and expand support so that they and their families can feel proud."
ken@heraldcorp.com
