Donation ceremony held at Korean Red Cross Seoul branch; 13th campaign installment

Funds to support water and sanitation project in Nepal's Sankhuwasabha district

Korean Red Cross Seoul Branch Chairman Kwon Young-gyu (left) and Dongwha Pharm. Chief Executive Yoo Jun-ha pose for a photo at a donation ceremony held at the Korean Red Cross Seoul branch on Monday. [Dongwha Pharm.]
Korean Red Cross Seoul Branch Chairman Kwon Young-gyu (left) and Dongwha Pharm. Chief Executive Yoo Jun-ha pose for a photo at a donation ceremony held at the Korean Red Cross Seoul branch on Monday. [Dongwha Pharm.]

Dongwha Pharm. has donated the entire proceeds from sales of its "Hwalmyeongsu 128th Anniversary Edition," released last year, to the Korean Red Cross as part of its "Water That Saves Lives" campaign fund.

The pharmaceutical company held a donation ceremony Tuesday at the Korean Red Cross Seoul branch, with Dongwha Pharm. Chief Executive Yoo Jun-ha, Korean Red Cross Seoul Branch Chairman Kwon Young-gyu and Secretary General Heo Hye-suk in attendance. Participants reviewed the progress of relief operations in Nepal and discussed the direction of future support.

The donated funds will go toward improving and expanding water supply and sanitation facilities in Nepal's Sankhuwasabha district, as well as health and hygiene education and outreach campaigns for local residents.

The Korean Red Cross is carrying out an "Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene and Disaster Risk Reduction (I-WASH&DRR)" project in villages 1 and 2 of the Sabapokhari rural municipality in Sankhuwasabha. Running from 2023 through this year, the four-year initiative covers 1,078 households and 4,994 people, providing comprehensive support in drinking water supply, health and hygiene, school safety and disaster risk reduction.

Hwalmyeongsu — whose name combines the hanja characters for "revive," "life" and "water" — was born in 1897 as South Korea's first domestically produced medicine and longest-running brand. Developed by royal court official Noh Do-hyeong of the Joseon Dynasty, it has long served as a life-saving remedy for ordinary people. Dongwha Pharm. has donated all proceeds from annual limited-edition releases to carry on that legacy, and Tuesday's ceremony marked the campaign's 13th installment.

The 128th anniversary edition was produced in collaboration with French outdoor brand Millet in 2025. Dongwha Pharm. launched the campaign in 2013 with its 116th anniversary edition and has since partnered with a different brand each year — including film manufacturer Kodak for the 127th anniversary edition in 2024.

The initiative has been recognized as a model ESG practice, with the 129-year-old domestic pharmaceutical company extending the life-affirming values at the heart of its flagship product beyond marketing into tangible international health cooperation — specifically, building drinking water infrastructure in developing countries.

"We have consistently run this campaign to share with society the meaning of water that saves lives, which Hwalmyeongsu has embodied," a company official said. "We will continue to provide practical help on the ground and fulfill our corporate social responsibility."


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