Figure skater Kim Yu-na donates US$100,000 to relief efforts in Philippines

[prettykeys]

Wow, brightphoton. You are usually a calm/rational poster. I didn't think Mathman's post deserved the snap...

And in converse, I don't think skateluvr's comment about generous rich folk was necessarily undermining their intentions. It is true that donations big or small are needed and appreciated, but those who have the ability to give larger sums naturally have a bigger individual impact. No shame or blame in that.

 

[Mathman]

Aw, shucks, Robeye. Business as usual, business as usual.

 

[Robeye]

Aw, shucks, Robeye. Business as usual, business as usual.

I realize now how temperamentally unsuited I am to run a discussion board.

 

[brightphoton]

I don't think anyone appreciates being told they think being rich is a bad thing, or being compassionate/generous is also bad. One, it's absurd, and second, this is the umpteenth time Mathman has posted something of the same nature. There's no need to repeatedly insult anyone's intelligence.

 

[lcd]

A very worthy gesture. While the amount is impressive, at the same time, she can certainly 'afford' that level of contribution.

I think it demonstrates her understanding of the broader societal obligation that athletes who become true role models, have. This is heartwarming to see truly at any level and with any amount.

 

[Mathman]

From the article:

Kim was named an international ambassador for UNICEF in July 2010, but six months earlier, she'd already donated 100 million won ($93,700) to UNICEF to aid earthquake victims in Haiti. In May 2011, she donated her winnings from her second-place finish at the 2011 world championships to help children in the earthquake-ravaged Japan...

According to the Korean Committee for UNICEF, Kim has been making annual donations to needy South Korean children since 2010.

 

[Icey]

Kim donated more than 2.0 billion won ($1.7 million) as of Oct 2009[120] and is continuing her effort in many ways. Her charitable contributions known to public include:
Every Year since Jan 2007 – 12 million won scholarships to 6 young skaters after her first advertisement endorsement of Kookmin Bank.[121]
May 2007 – 10 million won scholarship to fellow skater Hyeon-Jung Kim after making a contract with LG Household & Health Care advertisement.[122]
September 2007 – 200 million won (100 million of her own + 100 million won additional contributions from Ivy Club) in form of school uniforms to low-income-family youths after making a contract with Ivy Club advertisement.[123]
December 2007 – 100 school uniforms (worth 20 million won) to youths damaged by Taean oil spill disaster.[124]
April 2008 – Visited Everland with 800 children from Seoul Boys Town on Kookmin Bank Volunteer Day.[125]
May 2008 – 50 million won (in addition to contributions from Daishin Securities) to young skaters after giving a talk to public at Daishin Investment Forum 2008.[126]
May 2008 – 40 million won worth of one-year provision of Maeil Dairies Company products to low-income-family youths.[127]
May 2008 – Participated in the recording of a humanitarian song "I Love Asia" Project to help earthquake victims of Sichuan, China.[128]
December 2008 – 100 million won worth of school uniforms to low-income-family youths after renewing her advertisement contract with Ivy Club.[129]
December 2008 – Over 1,000 dolls, she received at Grand Prix Final, to juvenile cancer wards in hospitals in metropolitan Seoul area.[130]
December 2008 – 50 million won to young skaters at "Little Yuna' Youth skaters support project" Campaign of Sports Toto Lottery Company.[131]
December 2008 – 144 million won, total amount of ticket earnings from the charity ice show "Angels on Ice 2008" to children with rare diseases and juvenile cancer patients.[132]
April 2009 – 100 million won worth of dairy products to low-income-family youths through the Seongname Welfare Center of World Vision.[133]
May 2009 – 100 million won and skate boots while participating in UNICEF Pigotta Doll Project to help children with immunization campaign.[134]
December 2009 – Her portrait rights for free to be included in the Christmas seals for tuberculosis eradication.[135]
January 2010 – 100 million won through UNICEF to Haiti relief.[136][137]
April 2010 – 50 million won, some part of earnings from Festa on Ice 2010, to ROKS Cheonan (PCC-772) victims who died in the ship.[138]
July 2010 – As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she thanked Haiti donors.[139]
August 2010 – $10,000 to UNICEF. It was the prize money awarded to Kim with her Proud Korean Award by the Korean-American Leadership Foundation in Los Angeles.[140]
December 2010 – Yuna Kim & Seung Gi Lee sang "smile boy" and donated 40 million Won to one of rising star in figure skating and woman soccer player.[141][142]
December 2010 – $45,000 to children of families without parents through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[143]
May 2011 – $27,000, her prize money from the 2011 world championships to help victims of the quake-tsunami disaster in Japan[144]
Dec 2011 – 10 million won to Yeon-Su Social Welfare Center of children's foundation to help children of multicultural families.[145]
Dec 2011 – 10 million won to "Babonanum Foundation".[146]
Jan 2012 – 73 million won, proceeds from duet song "Ice flowers" song by Yu-Na Kim & I.U., to members of national figure skating team.[147]
Feb 2012 – 50 million won to 5 children of families without parents through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[148]
Jun 2012 – 70 million won, as much money to build a school, to Salecio center which is trying to build 100 small schools at rural communities in Republic of South Sudan.[149]
Jan 2013 – 50 million won to 5 children with rare diseases through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[150]
Apr 2013 – $45,000, all her prize money from the 2013 world championships to help children with disability through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[151]
May 2013 – 10 million won to children with disability living in Geumjeong-gu, Pusan through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[152]
Nov 2013 – $100,000 to aid Philippine children damaged by Typhoon Haiyan through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[153]

 

[RABID]

Kim donated more than 2.0 billion won ($1.7 million) as of Oct 2009[120] and is continuing her effort in many ways. Her charitable contributions known to public include:
Every Year since Jan 2007 – 12 million won scholarships to 6 young skaters after her first advertisement endorsement of Kookmin Bank.[121]
May 2007 – 10 million won scholarship to fellow skater Hyeon-Jung Kim after making a contract with LG Household & Health Care advertisement.[122]
September 2007 – 200 million won (100 million of her own + 100 million won additional contributions from Ivy Club) in form of school uniforms to low-income-family youths after making a contract with Ivy Club advertisement.[123]
December 2007 – 100 school uniforms (worth 20 million won) to youths damaged by Taean oil spill disaster.[124]
April 2008 – Visited Everland with 800 children from Seoul Boys Town on Kookmin Bank Volunteer Day.[125]
May 2008 – 50 million won (in addition to contributions from Daishin Securities) to young skaters after giving a talk to public at Daishin Investment Forum 2008.[126]
May 2008 – 40 million won worth of one-year provision of Maeil Dairies Company products to low-income-family youths.[127]
May 2008 – Participated in the recording of a humanitarian song "I Love Asia" Project to help earthquake victims of Sichuan, China.[128]
December 2008 – 100 million won worth of school uniforms to low-income-family youths after renewing her advertisement contract with Ivy Club.[129]
December 2008 – Over 1,000 dolls, she received at Grand Prix Final, to juvenile cancer wards in hospitals in metropolitan Seoul area.[130]
December 2008 – 50 million won to young skaters at "Little Yuna' Youth skaters support project" Campaign of Sports Toto Lottery Company.[131]
December 2008 – 144 million won, total amount of ticket earnings from the charity ice show "Angels on Ice 2008" to children with rare diseases and juvenile cancer patients.[132]
April 2009 – 100 million won worth of dairy products to low-income-family youths through the Seongname Welfare Center of World Vision.[133]
May 2009 – 100 million won and skate boots while participating in UNICEF Pigotta Doll Project to help children with immunization campaign.[134]
December 2009 – Her portrait rights for free to be included in the Christmas seals for tuberculosis eradication.[135]
January 2010 – 100 million won through UNICEF to Haiti relief.[136][137]
April 2010 – 50 million won, some part of earnings from Festa on Ice 2010, to ROKS Cheonan (PCC-772) victims who died in the ship.[138]
July 2010 – As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, she thanked Haiti donors.[139]
August 2010 – $10,000 to UNICEF. It was the prize money awarded to Kim with her Proud Korean Award by the Korean-American Leadership Foundation in Los Angeles.[140]
December 2010 – Yuna Kim & Seung Gi Lee sang "smile boy" and donated 40 million Won to one of rising star in figure skating and woman soccer player.[141][142]
December 2010 – $45,000 to children of families without parents through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[143]
May 2011 – $27,000, her prize money from the 2011 world championships to help victims of the quake-tsunami disaster in Japan[144]
Dec 2011 – 10 million won to Yeon-Su Social Welfare Center of children's foundation to help children of multicultural families.[145]
Dec 2011 – 10 million won to "Babonanum Foundation".[146]
Jan 2012 – 73 million won, proceeds from duet song "Ice flowers" song by Yu-Na Kim & I.U., to members of national figure skating team.[147]
Feb 2012 – 50 million won to 5 children of families without parents through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[148]
Jun 2012 – 70 million won, as much money to build a school, to Salecio center which is trying to build 100 small schools at rural communities in Republic of South Sudan.[149]
Jan 2013 – 50 million won to 5 children with rare diseases through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[150]
Apr 2013 – $45,000, all her prize money from the 2013 world championships to help children with disability through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[151]
May 2013 – 10 million won to children with disability living in Geumjeong-gu, Pusan through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[152]
Nov 2013 – $100,000 to aid Philippine children damaged by Typhoon Haiyan through the Korean Committee for UNICEF.[153]

I am sorry, I am a great fan of hers but this list is a little hard to believe. Am I reading this right? The amounts you are referencing are astounding. I know she is a millionaire but a billionaire? From endorsements and commercials? Seems a little hard to believe unless she has one great financial adviser creating investment magic for her. Perhaps you have a source?

 

[Eclair]

I am sorry, I am a great fan of hers but this list is a little hard to believe. Am I reading this right? The amounts you are referencing are astounding. I know she is a millionaire but a billionaire? From endorsements and commercials? Seems a little hard to believe unless she has one great financial adviser creating investment magic for her. Perhaps you have a source?

Most of Yuna's donations over the years have been listed by wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kim_Yuna#Donations

Scroll down to 'donations'.
Side-Note: A lot of donations are made in Korean won not dollars, therefore she doesn't need to be a billionaire (counting dollars) to donate this much^^

 

[Symmetry]

I am sorry, I am a great fan of hers but this list is a little hard to believe. Am I reading this right? The amounts you are referencing are astounding. I know she is a millionaire but a billionaire? From endorsements and commercials? Seems a little hard to believe unless she has one great financial adviser creating investment magic for her. Perhaps you have a source?

The poster used the currency of Korea, won, in many cases for an obvious reason. One million won is NOT equal to one million US dollars. I don't think Yuna is a billionaire (USD). The amounts listed above sounds very credible to me. It is still amazing to see how much she has given though. What a lady! Good for you, Yuna.

 

[AlexaD]

Good for Yuna! Really like her! She's got a big heart.

 

[YesWay]

I admire Kim's ongoing donations/efforts for charities. As others have pointed out, this is just one in a long list of contributions she has made, many of which do not hit the international headlines.

Sure, she is one of the richest women in Korea... but I think there are plenty of "rich" people who are not so inclined to use their wealth in such ways. She has a big heart.