Twenty college students have painted and wallpapered houses for people living on a remote Korean island.

The members of Korea Hands, the state-organized volunteer group, redecorated homes on Bigeum Island in Sinan County in South Jeolla Province from Sept. 2-3.

The team, led by Health and Welfare Minister Chin Soo-hee, redecorated five houses on a 250-resident island and checked the electricity and gas facilities at all households.

The Talent Sharing Bank, to which staff workers of the Ministry of Health and Welfare donate their extra income made through lecturing, writing, winning awards and extra activities, also donated 5 million won ($4,500) worth of electrical goods.

The members also volunteered to become mentors of local children and also promised to provide them with cultural experiences, which are hard to find in the area.

“Such program will be regularized on a biweekly basis soon. This is a win-win situation since the Korean Hands members look into the blind spot of the state welfare system and at the same time, the members get to learn so many things they didn’t know through their urban lifestyle,” a ministry official said.

The government is also planning to expand the program to five other rural areas next year.

(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)