2,945 students from 46 countries have received scholarships since program's launch

Foundation chair Lee urges recipients to 'be a bridge' between Korea and their home countries

A scholarship ceremony hosted by the Woojung Education and Culture Foundation for the second semester of 2026. [Provided by Booyoung]
A scholarship ceremony hosted by the Woojung Education and Culture Foundation for the second semester of 2026. [Provided by Booyoung]

Lee Joong-keun, chairman of the Woojung Education and Culture Foundation, has awarded scholarships to nearly 100 foreign students studying at universities in South Korea.

According to Booyoung Group on Thursday, Lee presented scholarships worth about 400 million won ($289,000) to 98 foreign students from 32 countries at a ceremony held Wednesday at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Jung-gu, Seoul. The foundation has now distributed a cumulative total of 11.6 billion won in scholarships to 2,945 students from 46 countries.

Lee established the Woojung Education and Culture Foundation in 2008 with a personal endowment, with the goal of supporting educational scholarships. Since 2010, the foundation has awarded scholarships twice a year to foreign students enrolled at universities in South Korea. From 2013, it significantly expanded the number of eligible countries and recipient students, and raised the scholarship amount to 8 million won per person annually.

"I applaud your passion for pursuing your dreams in an unfamiliar environment, and I hope this scholarship will serve as a solid foundation for your journey," Lee said at the ceremony.

Beyond scholarship support, Lee has continued a range of social contribution activities. He has been particularly active in proposing solutions to South Korea's low birth rate and aging population challenges — including offering 100 million won in birth incentive payments per child to employees and advocating for raising the official age threshold for the elderly.

Lee, who also serves as chairman of the UN Korean Association and chairman of the Korea Senior Citizens Association, has been calling for UN Day to be designated a national public holiday to honor the sacrifices of UN forces and pass that legacy on to future generations.

UN Day marks the founding of the United Nations on Oct. 24, 1945, and was observed as a legal public holiday in South Korea from 1950 to 1975. The holiday was abolished in 1976 as a protest after North Korea formally joined several UN-affiliated agencies.

Meanwhile, Booyoung Group posted sales of 1.13 trillion won last year and swung to a profit, recording operating profit of 254.7 billion won on the back of pre-sale conversion revenue.


hope@heraldcorp.com