Gachon University President Lee Gil-ya has been chosen as a leading philanthropist in Asia.

Forbes Asia released on Wednesday the “Heroes of Philanthropy List,” its latest annual list highlighting 48 of the Asia-Pacific region’s most remarkable givers, on its website.

The list selects and honors notable figures who have made their mark in philanthropy such as promoting education, alleviating poverty, supporting the arts and medical research. 

“Her ‘Gachon Gil Foundation’ has committed $90 million to enlarge the medical school, with the first $18 million donated this year,” Forbes Asia said in describing Lee’s contribution. Forbes Asia also added that she has vowed to try to make the university one of the country’s top 10 private universities. Dr. Lee, trained as a gynecologist, is the founder of Gachon Medical School and president of Gachon University.

Meanwhile, top singer Cho Yong-pil, founder and honorary chairman of AJU group Moon Tae-sik, and movie producer and former national assembly member Shin Young-kyun were also selected for the list.

Cho has been supporting children with heart disease after his wife died of a heart attack in 2003. He has donated a total of $7.5 million including the $2 million inheritance from his late wife. The singer established his own scholarship foundation in 2009 to help young students in financial difficulties.

Moon has donated 65.2 acres of forest land worth $36 million to the Jungnang district of Seoul, and Shin has pledged 66,000 square meters of land on Jeju Island to Seoul National University. Shin also donated $45 million in 2010 to the film industry in Korea, and $900,000 in February to Sogang University’s new art and technology department.

By Suh Hye-rim (sheren6735@heraldcorp.com)