Choi Jeong-seop, the organ donor. [Korea Organ Donation Agency]
Choi Jeong-seop, the organ donor. [Korea Organ Donation Agency]

A man in his 40s who was injured in a traffic accident while making deliveries on a rainy night has given four patients a new lease on life through organ donation.

The Korea Organ Donation Agency said Tuesday that Choi Jeong-seop, 46, donated his heart, liver and both kidneys to four patients at Korea University Guro Hospital on July 24, following a brain-death determination.

According to his family, Choi had worked in electrical construction but switched to motorcycle delivery about a year ago when business slowed. On the night of July 17, he was struck by another vehicle while riding in heavy rain, sustaining serious injuries. He underwent surgery but was ultimately declared brain-dead.

Choi had long expressed a wish to help others if something were to happen to him, having watched several family members battle illness over the years. His family honored that wish and consented to the donation.

Born in Seoul as the eldest of two children, Choi took on the role of breadwinner in his early 20s after his father died following a prolonged illness. When his mother and younger sister also fell ill and required extended hospital care, he devoted himself to looking after them, always putting family first.

After taking up delivery work, he put in more than 14 hours a day. He had enjoyed hiking and walking trails in his spare time, but the demands of the job left little room for hobbies.

For his family, one lingering regret is that Choi — who had worked without rest since his early 20s — never had the chance to travel with them or simply enjoy unhurried time together.

Kang Il-gyu, Choi's brother-in-law, remembered him as someone known to family, relatives and friends alike for his diligence and sense of responsibility. "I leaned on him a great deal, knowing the kind of person he was," Kang said.

In a final farewell to Choi, Kang said: "I hope that in heaven you can rest and live comfortably, without having to work. I feel nothing but gratitude and sorrow. I will take good care of your sister, my wife. Please be happy there, and watch over us."


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