Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin Donates 100 Million Won of Personal Funds for Orphanage Children

Supports Good Doctor Network's "Good Deeds Outing"; Shifts from Group-Level Support to Personal Donation

Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin has personally donated 100 million won (roughly $75,000) to support the "2026 Good Deeds Outing," the fifth annual event organized by Good Doctor Network (led by co-directors Oh Doo-hwan and Song Ki-jin), an organization that has supported more than 1,000 children across some 20 orphanages since its founding in 2020.
 

[Image by Good Doctor Network]

The event was initially expected to receive support at the Shinsegae Group level, but plans shifted to a personal donation after Chairman Chung expressed his intention to contribute individually. According to reports, Chung met directly with Good Doctor Network director Oh Doo-hwan on the 16th and personally handed over the 100-million-won donation — the largest single contribution recorded in the history of the Good Deeds Outing event.
 
The donation was made in a personal capacity and is separate from Shinsegae Group's own corporate social responsibility programs. It reflects Chung's hands-on management style, characterized by visiting sites in person, engaging directly with people, and making decisions on the spot.
 
Chung has often expressed the belief that individual, voluntary giving carries more meaning than corporate donations, and he regularly makes time to take part personally in charitable activities. His pattern of making quick, direct decisions on social contribution has also been seen on television before.
 
In December 2019, Chung drew attention on the SBS program "Matnam-ui Gwangjang" when he purchased 30 tons of misshapen potatoes during an episode set in Gangneung. The episode's director, Lee Kwan-won, noted that E-Mart tends to buy up most of the local specialty products featured on the show, and that although large bulk purchases aren't easy decisions, the company continues its giving by sympathizing with the cause and selling the goods at low prices.
 

In a separate episode filmed in Haenam, when celebrity restaurateur Baek Jong-won approached Chung about a surplus of giant sweet potatoes that had no buyer, Chung reportedly responded lightly, saying they could simply be cut in half if too large to eat whole. Upon learning the volume involved reached 450 tons, he was momentarily taken aback but said he would look into it properly — and E-Mart announced a plan that same day to sell 300 tons of the giant Haenam sweet potatoes.
 
This latest donation to Good Doctor Network is seen as another expression of the same personal conviction.
 
A Good Doctor Network representative expressed gratitude for Chung's decision, calling it a meaningful gesture for the children.
 

[Image by Good Doctor Network]

The "2026 5th Good Deeds Outing" will be held on the 18th at Seoul Land amusement park in Gwacheon. The annual event, first launched in 2022, invites children from vulnerable backgrounds to spend a day at the amusement park alongside volunteers.
 
More than 1,000 people are expected to take part, including orphanage children from across the country, volunteers, sponsors, and event staff. Volunteers will be paired one-on-one with children for the day, sharing rides, park facilities, and meals together. Pairings will generally follow a same-gender matching principle — men with boys, women with girls — though this may be adjusted flexibly depending on circumstances on the day.
 
Good Doctor Network will once again provide free-admission passes and lunch for both volunteers and children. The organization is also covering the full cost of round-trip chartered buses for participating orphanages, along with operational supplies and incidental expenses, and its own staff will serve as on-site personnel to help ensure the event's safety and smooth operation. Good Doctor Network has historically borne the bulk of the costs for the Good Deeds Outing, aside from a portion covered by outside donations.
 
Director Oh Doo-hwan said the event was designed so that children "can experience warm affection," adding that he hopes the memories created through the hands-on activities will offer comfort to the children and remind volunteers of the value of giving.
 
Good Doctor Network — whose name reflects the idea of a network of "good doctors" — regularly supports roughly 1,000 children across about 20 orphanages nationwide. Beyond regular sponsorship, the group supports children's healthy growth and independence through supply donations, medical volunteer work, and other activities.
 
A number of hospitals and clinics have joined the cause, supporting orphanage children in various ways. Companies such as Oketing Holdings and King Order Brothers, along with numerous individuals and organizations, have also contributed to the effort. To increase transparency, the organization operates dedicated bank accounts for each orphanage so that donors can give directly. Details on orphanage-specific donation accounts and how to volunteer or contribute can be found on the Good Doctor Network website.
  

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