[#StayStrongCampaign] Korean Embassy officials pool in money from their salaries, serve food to the poor in New Delhi 

NEW DELHI. The officials of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in New Delhi led by Ambassador Shin Bong-kil pooled in money from their salary accounts to procure mid-day meals for the poor who have either lost their livelihood or jobs because of the nationwide lockdown in India.

On Friday, about 20 officials of the embassy along with their family members distributed cooked Indian meals and Korean bread at four locations in New Delhi to more than 4,000 under-privileged people.

The locations of meal distribution were divided into four stations. The first location which was named Ambassador Station was led by Ambassador Shin Bong-kil and his wife Hwang Mee-sook.

The Political Station was led by Jongho Choi, Minister & Deputy Chief of Mission and Yoo Chang-ho, Minister Counselor for to

Political Affairs and the third station was DA station led by Defense Attache Col. Lee IN, his wife and two of their daughters.

The fourth station was KCC station led by Kim Kum-pyoung, Director of Korean Cultural Centre in India (KCCI), his wife, and KCC staffers.

The embassy staffers served hot meals which included rice and chickpea curry and distributed fresh Korean bread to the affected people queuing up at four hunger shelters, following strict social distancing rules.

These locations were MCD Primary Schools in South Extension, Sadiq Nagar, Lajpat Nagar, and Amar Colony in New Delhi.

The initiative was part of the Korean government’s #StayStrongCampaign implemented in India with the slogan “Korea-India stay strong together.”

The budget of this activity on April 24  was 221,000 INR, which was voluntarily raised by the Korean Embassy staffers to help the less privileged people of Delhi in these hard times.

The mid-day meal distribution drive was carried out in partnership with Annamrita Foundation, India’s non-profit organization.  Formerly known as ISKCON Food Relief Foundation, this NGO has provided meals for 6.9 million migrant workers and Poor Families impacted by the COVID-19 in slums and streets across India.

Korean Association in India too distributed food packets in Gurugram on Saturday

Euy Don Park, chairman of Presidential Korean Association in India, and his wife and other members launched one more #StayStrongCampaign in on Saturday when they distributed food packets to the less-privileged people who are facing tough time during lockdown period. According to Park as a member of the Delhi NCR residents community, he regretfully felt during the whole day food distribution that the community should not have turned their eyes on these neighbors earlier.

Korean ambassador Shin Bong-kil and Yoo Chang-ho, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs praised the efforts of the Korean Association on a Facebook post.

“박회장님, 사무총장님, 한인회 여러분  수고하셨습니다.  건강 조심하시기 바랍니다,” commented the Ambassador on Facebook. In the English language, it means, “Thank you for your hard work Secretary-General and Korean Association. Please take care of your health.”