Campaign for better conditions for bears

Animal rights campaigners have visited a moon bear sanctuary in Korea to check on the animals’ living conditions there. Volunteers with the Bear Necessity Korea group visited Bear Tree Park in Chungchondong, a 90 minute drive from Seoul. The former Asiatic bear farm has been transformed into an anim

Aug. 31, 2011

Seoul subway sit-in for free disabled services

People with disabilities are staging a protest to call for free personal care services in Seoul. Members of Solidarity Against Disability Discrimination have been holding a sit-in at City Hall Subway Station for the past 22 days and say they will not budge until they are granted the same free servic

Aug. 31, 2011

Saving sight between classes

Teen runs 180-member charity group across 14 schools in free timeSometimes it is hard to get taken seriously as a teenager, said high school student Kim Soo-yeon, but she needs people to listen to her to help save others’ sight. The 16-year-old Seoul International School student and her team of 180

Aug. 31, 2011

Giving laughs at Itaewon gig

A Seoul comedy group is inviting people to chuckle for charity at a gig in Itaewon this weekend. Seoul City Improv is to host a comedy night at Roofers Bar on Saturday, with all proceeds going to help underprivileged kids’ education in Korea. The comedy night to start at 9 p.m. includes “Whose Line

Aug. 24, 2011

Mime cycles for orphans

A Korean man has cycled his way around the country dressed as a clown to buy bikes for underprivileged children. Woo Keun-chul made the circuit from Seoul to Busan and back again wearing pantomime makeup to raise cash from July 17 to Aug. 19. Woo Keun-chul on his trip around Korea. (Woo Keun-ch

Aug. 24, 2011

Call to help homeless at Suwon

Volunteers are being sought for a new project to help homeless people in Suwon, following rough sleepers’ eviction from Seoul Station. PLUR volunteer group fears that more homeless people are beginning to sleep rough around the Suwon Station area following moves to clear them from the capital. 

Aug. 24, 2011

Bras wanted for breast cancer support

Bespoke bras are being sought to support an auction raising funds to fight breast cancer. The charity party is to be held at Sky Bar at Dillingers’ Bar in Itaewon. Organizers are asking for donors to let their imaginations run wild to decorate bras from now until Oct. 3.  A model wears a hand-d

Aug. 17, 2011

Shoe donors kick-start Daegu charity drive

A “Style Your Sole” party in Korea has produced 60 pairs of shoes for kids in need as the first event in a campaign to kick-start regular charity work in Daegu. The event was organized by Association for Teachers of English in Korea Gyeongbuk Volunteer officer Emily Cashell, who hopes to organize bi

Aug. 17, 2011

Raising glasses to help baby Hannah

A bar crawl to support a baby with a life-threatening condition is to be held in Ilsan this weekend, just two days before her first birthday. The “Help Hannah Bar Crawl” is to raise cash for Hannah Warren, who has been at Seoul National University Hospital since her birth. She was born without a tra

Aug. 17, 2011

Four marathons in four days to help MS sufferers

An English teacher is set to run four marathons in four Korean cities over four days to raise cash to help people suffering from Multiple Sclerosis. Joseph Riley set himself the 4IN4 mission to raise 2 million won for the Korean Multiple Sclerosis Society. He will run the first 42-kilometer stretch

Aug. 17, 2011

Charity bakes plan to feed N.K. kids

Love for North Korea Children needs funds to give school pupils breadWhen Seoul votes on whether to provide free lunches for school kids here on Aug. 24, many of the 50,000 children living in the North Korean city of Sariwon will likely be skipping their midday meal.That’s what they are obliged to d

Aug. 17, 2011