The Yeungnam University Social Contribution Group held its second ‘Sharing Tteokguk (Rice-cake soup) of Love’ event on January 18, 2023. Tteokguk is a Korean New Year’s dish, and this event aims to support the dietary needs of Gyeongsan neighbors during the Lunar New Year holiday. Seventy volunteers from the YU Social Contribution Group, including students, teaching staff, and Association of Clubs students, participated in the event. They made Tteokguk meal kits for 900 people.
The YU Social Contribution Group was launched in November 2022 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Yeungnam University’s foundation and has been active ever since. It is an organization established to fulfill YU’s social responsibilities and contribute to the development of the local community.
The ‘Sharing Tteokguk of Love’ event was conducted with Gyeongsan Volunteer Center and the Korean Red Cross Volunteer Group. The Tteokguk meal kits were delivered to community members needing help with the cooperation of the two volunteer organizations.
The Yeungnam Observer interviewed Ha yun-seok, a social contribution member who participated in the ‘Sharing Tteokguk of Love’ event. Ha Yun-seok previously volunteered abroad in Cambodia. Since then, he has been looking for domestic volunteer opportunities and has participated in this event. He expressed his doubts about making meal kits for 900 people but found it fun and meaningful to do with 70 students. He also stated that it would be great for more students to participate in social contribution group activities without department or grade restrictions.
The Observer also interviewed Professor Kim Jung-hoon, the head of the YU Social Contribution Group. He said, “Social contribution activities are big and small practices to protect the safety and happiness of me and my family.” He said the ‘Sharing Tteokguk of Love’ event showed the social contribution group’s goal of ‘fulfilling social responsibility.’ He also mentioned that the YU Social Contribution Group plans to develop various participation programs such as this event to make sustainable social contributions.
