Lee Young-ae pays to repatriate Itaewon crowd crush victim’s body to Russia

The Itaewon crowd crush last Saturday (Oct 29) changed the face of Halloween in South Korea forever. 

While the national mourning period in South Korea is ongoing until Nov 5, stories of camaraderie and civilians helping one another have provided hope and relief to citizens.

Actress Lee Young-ae has stepped up and reportedly offered to pay 7 million won (S$6,900) for the repatriation of a victim’s body to her hometown in Russia. 

Juliana Park, the 25-year-old victim, was a fourth-generation Koryo-saram, a name given to overseas Koreans in former Soviet states.

The 51-year-old actress revealed through The Korea Foundation for Persons with Disabilities on Nov 2: “I wish to help Mr Park and his family who are unable to return to their home country due to financial difficulties.” 

Young-ae is currently the head of the advisory committee on culture and the arts for the foundation.

Speaking to OSEN, the foundation affirmed: “We have received a donation from Lee Young-ae in the hopes of helping with the Itaewon disaster.”

Young-ae is best known for her roles in the 2003 historical drama series Jewel in the Palace and the 2007 psychological thriller Lady Vengeance, with her most recent role being in 2021’s Inspector Koo.

She has been lauded for her charitable contributions, donating 100 million won each to victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Ambulance Wish Foundation for children with cancer and rare diseases earlier this year.

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Last year, she sponsored an additional 100 million won for medical expenses of paediatric patients and medical staff suffering with Covid–19.

ALSO READ: ‘For over 20 minutes, I administered CPR’: South Korean actor Yoon Hong-bin recounts harrowing Itaewon crowd crush experience

drimac@asiaone.com

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