4,023 members recorded over 19 years

Total donations reach 451.8 billion won

1,119 family-unit donors among members

Group pledges continued support for marginalized neighbors

The 2026 Honor Society Members' Day event [Community Chest of Korea]
The 2026 Honor Society Members' Day event [Community Chest of Korea]

Major donors who have each contributed at least 100 million won ($73,800) gathered to reflect on the value of social solidarity, as the culture of large-scale giving expands beyond its traditional base of business figures to include YouTubers, authors and professionals from a wide range of fields.

The Community Chest of Korea held the "2026 Honor Society Members' Day" on Tuesday at the Vista Hall of Grand Walkerhill Seoul.

The Honor Society is a group of individual major donors who have contributed or pledged at least 100 million won to the Community Chest of Korea. The event was organized to look back on the group's 19-year journey since its founding and to share members' philanthropic achievements.

About 300 Honor Society members from across the country attended, including Community Chest of Korea Chairman Yun Yeo-jun, Honor Society General Representative Choi Shin-won, former Vice Chairman Lee Yeon-bae and former Chairman Lee Dong-geon.

At the event, Community Chest of Korea Secretary General Jin Seok-beom presented the group's key activities and cumulative giving results. Since its launch in December 2007, the Honor Society has recorded 4,023 cumulative members and total donations of 451.8 billion won. Family Honor members — families who participate in giving together — numbered 1,119, accounting for 27.8 percent of total membership. Another 218 members, or 5.4 percent, belong to the Posthumous Honor category, carrying on the charitable wishes of a deceased loved one. The variety of giving formats within the Honor Society continues to grow, with family-based donations and legacy giving both on the rise.

A total of 151 members have made ultra-large donations of 300 million won or more. To encourage a more mature culture of individual giving, the Community Chest of Korea has since November 2023 operated a tiered giving brand system based on donation size: Silver (300 million won or more), Gold (500 million won or more) and O-Plus (1 billion won or more). Current membership stands at 79 Silver, 27 Gold and 45 O-Plus members.

The event also recognized the "Honoree of the Year," awarded to members who have contributed to spreading a culture of giving. A total of 19 people received the award, including Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Jin Ok-dong.

This year's honorees came from a notably diverse range of professions, not just the business world. YouTuber Jeong Hye-young, Jeong Yeon-suk — head of the Sejong Mom Cafe — author Lee Hyang-young, and Yun Seon-jin, a former senior researcher at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI), were among those recognized, reflecting a broadening of the donor base.

"The Honor Society has been able to continue its 19-year journey of giving with more than 4,000 members thanks to your steady support and participation," Community Chest of Korea Chairman Yun Yeo-jun said. "Each and every one of you, practicing generosity across so many different fields, is making our society's culture of giving ever richer."


terry@heraldcorp.com