President Lee took management lessons in 2003
Letter from the staff of Yeongdeungpo Charity Hospital
Visit the clinic and the homes of small families in person
After donating 10 million won on the spot,
Helping neighbors and supporting them secretly for 20 years
He received the Ho-Am Award for founding the Joseph Clinic
Introduction to the book by the late founder Sunwoo Gyeong-sik
Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong (then CEO, center) is taking a tour of the bathroom, laundry and barber shop under the guidance of the late director Seonwoo Kyeong-sik (right) during a visit to the Joseph Clinic in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul in June 2003. [사진 제공=책 ‘의사 선우경식’]
The belated revelation that Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong secretly supports the Joseph Clinic, which has been treating extremely poor patients from small families for more than 20 years, left a quiet impression. President Lee’s good deeds were described and made public to the world in the book “Dr.
According to the book “Doctor Seonwoo Kyeong-sik” and field officials at the time, President Lee decided to visit Joseph Clinic in 2003, when he was CEO, after receiving a letter from an employee of Joseph Clinic located in a small structure village of Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, asking for help. Director Sunwoo Gyeong-sik, who founded the Joseph Clinic, was also the recipient of the 13th Ho-Am Community Service Award held that year. The Ho-Am Award is an award named after the nickname of the late Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul and is recognized as one of the most prestigious awards in Korea.
Director Sunwoo graduated from Catholic University of Korea Medical School and completed his training in internal medicine in the United States, but returned to Korea and began volunteering at a free weekend clinic in Daldongne, Sillim-dong , Seoul in the early 1980s. Subsequently, in August 1987, he opened Yusep Clinic in Sillim-dong, Seoul, and led the community hospital for the poor and disadvantaged for 21 years until his death in 2008.
Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who returned to Samsung Electronics as assistant CEO in the management planning office and took management courses, was promoted to CEO that year. President Lee, who had always been interested in social contribution, was impressed by Director Sunwoo’s good deeds at the time and visited the Joseph Clinic. Samsung did not want to announce this news to the media, so the news was not reported.
The book details the situation when President Lee first visited the Joseph Clinic in June of that year. After visiting the Joseph Clinic, Director Seon-woo asked President Lee if he had ever visited a small village, and President Lee readily agreed, leading to a visit to a family who lived in a small village near the Joseph Clinic.
President Lee, who saw a family of four living a difficult life in a small room, let out a small groan and covered his mouth with his hand. The employee who accompanied him at the time explained that he held back tears because it was the first time he had seen people living in disadvantaged conditions.
Samsung Electronics President Lee Jae-yong (then CEO, far left) is having lunch with officials while visiting the Joseph Clinic in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul in 2003. President Lee is said to have come here wearing a frugal T-shirt during his second visit. [사진 제공=책 ‘의사 선우경식’]
After visiting the alley of small rooms, President Lee visited the “Yeongdeungpo Study Hall” operated by the Little Sisters of the Contemplative Missionary Sisters and returned to the Joseph Clinic. President Lee’s face is said to have hardened since then. President Lee confided to Director Seonwoo, “Honestly, it was the first time I saw people living like this, so I was so shocked that even now my mind is blank.”
President Lee stood up and handed over the envelope he had prepared from the inside pocket of his suit. The envelope was said to contain 10 million won, and from then on, President Lee began donating a certain amount of his salary every month.
President Lee later reached an agreement with Director Seon-woo that Samsung Electronics would build a building to operate a restaurant for the homeless and extremely poor, and promoted the project for several years. Samsung Electronics also prepared a plan for a restaurant that would be built on public land owned by the railway administration, but the project was eventually stopped due to protests from parents from nearby elementary schools who protested, saying, “Why are you building a restaurant and attract the homeless?”
Furthermore, President Lee is said to have taken care of needy neighbors in society’s blind spots, such as free clinics for foreign workers and child care facilities, for over 20 years. Every year we donate a significant amount of money to these facilities. It is said that this good deed was not revealed to the outside world because the person himself was asked not to make it known to the outside world.
In his speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the founding of Samsung Electronics in 2019, when he was vice president, President Lee emphasized the importance of coexistence, saying, “Sharing and growing together is the path to becoming the best in the world.”
To congratulate promoted executives, President Lee is known to have made donations to facilities run by religious organizations and then gifted donation cards issued in the executives’ individual names. Just as the late former President Lee Kun-hee received a “social contributions list” as a birthday gift, congratulatory gifts for promoted executives are being replaced with “social contributions.”
Samsung suffered from mismanagement but, in accordance with President Lee Jae-yong’s wishes, did not reduce the amount of donations. Samsung is paying great attention to maintaining the country’s image by providing medical care, supplies and alternative program operations despite last year’s Saemangeum Jamboree operational crisis.
Samsung also took the lead in various support activities to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
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