As South Korea celebrated Children’s Day on May 5, a touching story of kindness from Busan captured the hearts of many. A poor father who survives by collecting recyclables quietly left a gift box in front of a local police station, hoping to bring joy to children in even more difficult situations than his own.
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| A gift left by a man in front of Deokcheon District Office in Buk-gu, Busan |
🎁 A Quiet Act of Kindness Before Children's Day
On the morning of May 3, a man placed a cardboard box outside Deokcheon Police Station (덕천지구대) in Buk-gu, Busan, and left without a word. Inside the box were:
- A handwritten letter
- A box of instant noodles
- 35 banknotes of 1,000 won (totaling 35,000 KRW / approx. 25 USD)
- A children’s windbreaker jacket
📜 A Letter From a Father's Heart
In the letter, the man introduced himself as a father of three children, living under low-income conditions. He shared that his eldest child has a level 3 disability, and wrote:
“I’ve been collecting recyclables for a whole month to save this small amount of money. It’s not much, but I hope some children can have a warmer Children’s Day because of it.”
He explained that he initially wanted to buy snacks and sweets, but the money wasn’t enough. Instead, he chose to buy instant noodles and a windbreaker for a child. Although he felt guilty for not being able to afford treats, he left the children a hopeful message:
“I hope a child can wear this jacket and run happily outside.”
The man wished that the leftover money could be used to buy a delicious fried chicken meal for a child going through even harder times than his own family.
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| The father's letter provided by Deokcheon Police Station |
❤️ Anonymous Donor With a History of Giving
According to Busan Police, this is not the first time this anonymous father has performed such acts of kindness. In fact, it’s the 12th time he has donated gifts and money on special occasions like Children’s Day and Christmas—always without revealing his identity, quietly leaving behind heartfelt offerings.
The Busan Police Department has since forwarded the items to a local welfare center, ensuring that the gifts reach the children who need them most. The father’s selfless act has gone viral on Korean social media, deeply moving netizens and reminding society that the value of giving doesn’t lie in how much you give, but in the heart behind it.
Even in hardship, this father’s story shows that compassion and empathy can shine through—and inspire others to care for those in need.
📚 Learn Korean Through This News
Korean Text:
"어린이날을 앞두고 부산에 사는 기초수급가정의 가장이 폐지를 팔아 모은 돈과 라면 등을 어려운 형편의 아이에게 전달해달라며 익명으로 기부했다."
Key Vocabulary:
- 어린이날 (eo-ri-ni-nal) – Children’s Day (May 5 in Korea)
- 기초수급가정 (gi-cho-su-gup-ga-jeong) – basic livelihood support household (low-income family receiving government aid)
- 가장 (ga-jang) – head of household
- 폐지 (pye-ji) – waste paper / recyclable paper
- 모으다 (mo-eu-da) – to collect / gather
- 어려운 형편 (eo-ryeo-un hyeong-pyeon) – difficult circumstances / tough situation
- 전달하다 (jeon-dal-ha-da) – to deliver / pass on
- 익명으로 (ik-myeong-eu-ro) – anonymously
- 기부하다 (gi-bu-ha-da) – to donate
Grammar Notes:
- ~을 앞두고 → 어린이날을 앞두고: “Ahead of / in preparation for Children’s Day”
- ~을/를 팔아 모은 돈 → 폐지를 팔아 모은 돈: "Money collected by selling (something)"; verb connector ~아/어 expresses sequential actions
- ~해달라며 → 전달해달라며: Short for ~해 달라고 하며, used to quote a request or intention indirectly, meaning “Asking to deliver (something) to someone”
- 익명으로 기부했다: Adverbial use of 익명 ("anonymity") with ~으로 to indicate how the action was done
Translation:
"Just before Children’s Day, a head of a low-income household in Busan anonymously donated money and instant noodles he had saved by selling waste paper, asking that they be delivered to children in difficult situations."
Keywords
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