The Dedication of Inspector Kim Yun-seok: From Police Officer to Volunteer
By Kim Ye-rang, Reporter
In a small village near Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, approximately 60 individuals formed a line in front of a white tent on the 19th of this month at around 11:30 am, eagerly waiting to receive food. At noon, the distribution began, with Inspector Kim Yun-seok (59) from the Mapo Police Station’s Criminal Division pouring broth into hundreds of bowls of noodles. Despite the constant influx of latecomers, Inspector Kim handled the proceedings with remarkable efficiency, effortlessly pouring the noodles from a large red colander into a pot, steaming them, and then carefully pouring the soup back into each bowl.
Inspector Kim Yun-seok (59), a dedicated police officer who also devotes his time to volunteer work, can be found distributing free meals near the toilet village in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. On the 19th, he was seen handing a bowl of soup to another volunteer. It was not until 1 o’clock that day when all those who arrived to receive food were satisfied.
For Inspector Kim, serving as a police officer and volunteering have become parallel careers. He was appointed as a police officer at the Ahyeon 2-dong police station in Mapo in 1990. It was during his patrol in the Sangam area-dong that he encountered a drunkard from the Samdong Youth Village, a child welfare facility, which sparked his interest in helping those in need. Upon personally visiting the youth village, he was deeply moved by the dire conditions faced by the 60 children residing there. During his 10-year tenure in Mapo, he provided clothes and daily necessities to the youth village, spending time personally with the children. In 1994, he established a volunteer group with his acquaintances to provide more organized assistance. Upon moving to Yeongdeungpo as a sergeant in 2000, Inspector Kim witnessed the impoverished conditions of Yeongdeungpo’s gritty village. The following year, he formed a volunteer group called Village Helpers in collaboration with Jogyesa Buddhists. Starting with feeding 12 individuals on the rooftop of the then-empty Namgang Police Station building, they began their free food service every Thursday.
Despite changing work locations and achieving remarkable results in his police career, Inspector Kim’s dedication to volunteer work never wavered. During his 7 to 8 years as the head of the cultural property investigation team in the metropolitan investigation unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, he played a pivotal role in the recovery of approximately 200,000 cultural properties. Undoubtedly, engaging in active volunteer work while serving as a detective posed its challenges. Inspector Kim’s family, concerned for his well-being as he tirelessly served on the front lines, expressed their worries. However, as Inspector Kim now receives their full support, he reflects on his past concerns and expresses gratitude for their understanding.
The path of doing good deeds is not without its obstacles. The container used by Inspector Kim and the volunteer group to provide free food service was deemed an illegal structure, subjecting them to a mandatory fine of 8 million won per year. However, when Inspector Kim was awarded the grand prize for the Hanjae Good Conduct Award in March, presented by the Hanjae Public Benefit Foundation to individuals who assist those in need and contribute to social change, he received a monetary award that helped alleviate some of the burden.
On this particular day, Inspector Kim Yun-seok, along with police constables Kim Seo-eun (25) and Shin Won-jin (28) from the Hongik District, came together to volunteer after Inspector Kim suggested their participation during their training at the station police.
Before his retirement on June 30th next year, other police officers from the same Mapo Station were also encouraged to join the cause. On that day, three police officers willingly participated in the food service. Inspector Kim expressed his sense of responsibility towards providing a meal for individuals facing such dire circumstances that they cannot even afford to feed themselves. Not only do residents of small house villages benefit from the food service, but also individuals from the surrounding Gyeonggi area, including Incheon Bupyeong, Bucheon, and Gwacheon, come to enjoy a warm lunch. Inspector Kim’s dedication remains unwavering as he emphasizes, “I cannot rest when there are people in need,” and plans to return to his work shortly after tirelessly serving the community until about 1 o’clock that day, wiping the sweat off his forehead and laughing heartily.
At around 11:30 am on the 19th, around 60 people stood in a 30m long line in front of a white tent near a small village in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul to receive food. At noon, the distribution began, and Inspector Kim Yun-seok (59) of the Mapo Police Station’s Criminal Division poured broth into each of the hundreds of bowls of noodles. Inspector Kim was busy welcoming the late arrivals for their meal, even as he poured the noodles from a large red colander into a large pot, steamed them, and then poured the soup back into in.
On the afternoon of the 19th, Inspector Kim Yun-seok (59), who volunteers to distribute free food near the toilet village in Mullae-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, delivers a bowl containing soup to another volunteer. Those who came to receive food that day finished only after one o’clock./Reporter Kim Ye-rang
For Inspector Kim, police work and voluntary work are like second careers. Inspector Kim, who was appointed as a police officer at the Ahyeon 2-dong police station in Mapo in 1990, is said to have become interested in neighbors in need when he encountered a drunkard from the Samdong Youth Village, a child welfare facility, while patrolling the Sangam area- dong from Mapo. Afterwards, Inspector Kim, who personally visited the Samdong Youth Village, is said to have lamented the conditions where the 60 children gathered at the facility were unable to use even the basic necessities of life. During the 10 years he worked in Mapo, he gave clothes and daily necessities to the youth village, visited the children personally, and spent time with the children. In 1994, he formed a group volunteer with his acquaintances to help them in a more organized manner. Inspector Kim, who moved to Yeongdeungpo as a sergeant in 2000, witnessed the poor environment of the gritty village of Yeongdeungpo. The following year, he formed a volunteer group of village helpers with Jogyesa Buddhists and served a packed lunch to 12 people on the roof of the Namgang Police Station Building. , which was empty at the time, what started as a free food service every Thursday.
Even as work locations changed and results were achieved, volunteer work continued. While working as the head of the cultural property investigation team in the metropolitan investigation unit of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for about 7 to 8 years, he contributed to the recovery of about 200,000 cultural properties. Of course, it is said that doing active volunteer work while working as a detective was not smooth sailing. It is said that Inspector Kim’s family has been worried for a long time about Inspector Kim, who did not stop serving even though he was on the front line where danger lurked. Inspector Kim said, “I was worried and disappointed because I didn’t have much time to spend with my family and I was spending all my time volunteering, but now I support them.”
The path to doing good deeds is not without obstacles. The container where Inspector Kim and the volunteer group provide free food service is said to be treated as an illegal building and subject to a mandatory fine. The mandatory payment of 8 million won a year was a problem that the volunteer association had to deal with. However, when Inspector Kim won the grand prize for the Hanjae Good Conduct Award, given by the Hanjae Public Benefit Foundation to those who help neighbors in need and contribute to social change in March, he was able to use the he received a monetary award. to help ease the burden.
Inspector Kim Yun-seok and Mapo police officers volunteer to distribute free noodles. Constables Kim Seo-eun (25) and Shin Won-jin (28), both from Hongik District, came together on this day after Inspector Kim, whom he met while training at a station police, suggest that they participate in volunteer work./Reporter Kim Ye-called
Before retiring on 30 June next year, police officers from the same station were also suggested to take part, and on this day, three police officers from Mapo Station took part in the food service. Inspector Kim said, “I feel responsible for providing a meal for people who are in a difficult situation to even feed themselves.” He added, “Not only the residents of the small house villages but also people from the Gyeonggi area. , including Incheon Bupyeong, Bucheon, and Gwacheon, come here to provide lunch for 400 to 500 people. “I can’t rest because I’m losing,” he said. It wasn’t until about 1 o’clock that day that the visitors stopped coming, and only then did Inspector Kim take a breath and laugh heartily, wiping the sweat from his forehead and saying, “I’m on holiday today at work, so I must return soon.”
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