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Chairperson LEE Don of Active U.S.A. received Dongbaek Medal, a national medal of merit. N

No.5797154
  • Writer PR team
  • Date : 2023.02.14 11:39
  • Publication Date : 2023.02.03
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Class '73 of YU Department of Architectural Engineering, acceptance of contribution to development of Korean education

Donation of USD 4 million for establishment of Wolsan Scholarship Society to show “A heart to repay the kindness of parents”

Foundation of Active U.S.A Inc. in LA apparel fashion industry … Creation of a Korean immigrant success story

[February 03, 2023]

 

<Chairperson LEE Don of Active U.S.A. received Dongbaek Medal, a national medal of merit.>

[From the 5th position in the left of lower row, Chairperson HAN Jae-sook of Yeongnam School Corporation, Mrs. YOO Bok-kyung (Spouse of Chairperson HAN Jae-sook), Chairperson LEE Don, and President CHOI Oe-chool of YU]


Chairperson LEE Don of Active U.S.A. had the honor of receiving Dongbaek Medal, a national medal of merit.


National medal of merits are given to the persons who have clearly contributed in people’s welfare improvement and national development by making contributions in politics, economy, society, education, and academic fields of Korea.


Chairperson LEE (Class '73 of YU Department of Architectural Engineering) was accepted for his contribution to higher education development in Korea.Chairperson LEE has been supporting students with foundation of Wolsan Scholarship Society after donating scholarship funds to YU, his alma mater, in 2012 in order to repay the kindness of his father who passed in July 2011, and his mother. The scholarship fund donated from 2012 until now reaches USD 4 million. This is the largest scale among individual scholarships operated by YU. 


Especially, among his donations, donation of USD 2 million in January was surprising because such a donation was done on the line on his way to return to the USA after visiting Korea. At that time, Chairperson LEE Don called on President CHOI on the way home after visiting his mother in Korea for year-end and new-year and donated the development fund saying his intention to support development of his alma mater that was changing since President CHOI took office.


 The students of Wolsan Scholarship Society are active in all walks of life, including lawyers, prosecutors, certified public accountants, architects, and teachers. Chairperson LEE has been continuously making donations for Wolsan Scholarship Society, university development fund, and Alumni Association Scholarship Fund and has been making large contributions in the university and the alumni association.


“Wolsan Scholarship Society” is a joint scholarship society named with the nickname of Sir Wolsan LEE Dong-ho and his mother Ms LEE Hong-sik. Sir Wolsan LEE Dong-ho Lee (1923-2011) is a 15th generation descendant of Sir Hoejae LEE Eon-jeok (1491-1553) who was one of Dongbang Ohyeon in Joseon Dynasty and has Chairperson LEE (eldest son, LEE Seung-yeon, LEE Jeong-hyeon, and LEE Hyeong (Keimyung University Dongsan Medical Center Head of Business Strategy Department). Sir LEE Dong-ho was the owner of Daeseonghyeon, Cultural Heritage 34 of Gyeongsangbuk-do in Yangdong Village listed as a world cultural heritage in UNESCO, and Chairperson LEE has been leading preservation of cultural heritage by such method as restoration of 300-year traditional houses through historical research for 3 years with Gyeongsangbuk-do together. 


Chairperson LEE is a successful businessman who went to the USA in 1986 and founded Active U.S.A. Inc. in the next year. He is a bootstrapper who experienced difficulty to lose whole properties due to LA Riot occurring in 1992 but succeeded in comeback based on his accumulated credibility and excellent leadership. Now, he is taking Director of Pacific Bank (a Koreans’ bank in the USA), Leading CEO of The World Korean Business Convention, Director of Sir Hoejae LEE Eon-jeok Commemorative Association, Advisor of Gyeongsangbuk-do Overseas Counseling, and Chairperson of Chairperson of California Daegu/Gyeongbuk Homecoming Association Scholarship Committee, etc. He continued donation activities in spite of residing abroad and was selected as “No. 3 Honor Society” of “Social Welfare Funding Society” for “Fruit of Love.” Also, he leads global capability enhancement of university students in Daegu/Gyeongbuk areas as an overseas advisor for Gyeongsangbuk-do. Until now, he has been supporting enhancement of practical capability by inviting more than 100 university students as intern employees of Active U.S.A.


Chairperson LEE also led foundation of YU USA Alumni Association which was founded for the first time for the universities in the south of Hangang River. At that time, Chairperson LEE took the chairperson of preparation committee and persuaded and encouraged alumni visiting main cities in the USA. Chairperson LEE served as the first Chairperson of LA General Alumni Association and then USA General Alumni Association.YU gave Proud YU Prize in 2006 and Honor Doctor of Business Administration in 2014 to praise his contributions.


 YU had a ceremony to give a medal to Chairperson LEE Don at 11:00 am on the 2nd of February. In the ceremony, Chairperson HAN Jae-sook of Yeongnam School Corporation, Chairperson HAN Jae-sook of Yeongnam School Corporation, Former President LEE Hyo-soo, and Senior Vice President PARK Dong-soo of YU General Alumni Association. Especially, the students of Wolsan Scholarship Society attended the ceremony and congratulated Chairperson LEE for receiving the medal expressing their thanks.


 In the ceremony, Chairperson LEE received the medal and the certificate and said, “I think I am here today based on what I have received from my motherland Korea and my alma master YU. I practiced a small sharing activity only with the mind to repay the society for what I have received until now as an overseas Korean and it’s a great honor to receive the medal from the country. I will try to play a role to contribute in national development as a businessman.”


 President CHOI Oe-chool of YU transmitted the medal to Chairperson LEE and said, “The sharing and social contribution activities practiced by Chairperson LEE became the motive power for Korea to become an advanced country and for alma master YU for development. I think that the Chairperson’s sublime meaning of sharing is same with the educational goal and meaning of YU to cultivate talents to lead development of Korea evaluated as an advanced country and the talents to contribute in common prosperity of human society. I will do my best so that such meaning is transferred to our next generations and our society.”