The Pony Chung Foundation announced on the 12th that it held the '19th Pony Chung Innovation Award' ceremony at the Pony Chung Hall in the I-Park Tower, Samsung-dong, Gangnam District, Seoul, and presented the award to this year's recipient, the Jeon Jin Sang Medical Clinic and Welfare Center.
The ceremony was attended by Jeong Mong-kyu, chairman of the Pony Chung Foundation and its founder; Ms. Park Young-ja, the widow of the late Jeong Se-young, honorary chairman of the HDC Group; and Baek Hyun-jung, director of the Jeon Jin Sang Medical Clinic and Welfare Center.
Chairman Jeong noted, "The Jeon Jin Sang Medical Clinic and Welfare Center, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is steadfastly upholding the founding belief that 'patients have the right to meet doctors' led by Director Baek Hyun-jung, Pharmacy Director Min Su-hee, Social Welfare Center Director Yoo Song-ja, and Nurse Kim Young-ja, and I express my gratitude and respect for their dedicated efforts in establishing a community welfare system that examines all aspects of the lives of disadvantaged neighbors, including visiting medical services for low-income groups, hospice palliative care, free kindergartens, study rooms, and scholarship programs."
In her acceptance speech, Director Baek said, "We were able to share the pain of disadvantaged and suffering individuals thanks to the support of our sponsors and volunteers who have given us love and support for the past 50 years, and, as there are still many suffering in places unseen, we will gladly continue to stand with those in need of help."
The Jeon Jin Sang Medical Clinic and Welfare Center was established in 1975 at the suggestion of the late Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan in Siheung-dong, Geumcheon District, Seoul. The name 'Jeon Jin Sang' encapsulates the spirit of the International Catholic Brotherhood (A.F.I), meaning complete self-dedication (全·전), true love (眞·진), and ceaseless joy (常·상).
Since starting home visits for patients with mobility issues, it has grown into a comprehensive welfare organization that provides support for the living expenses of people in difficult situations and operates free kindergartens and study rooms, extending beyond medical services to systematic social welfare. It opened Seoul's first hospice palliative care institution in 2008, helping critically ill patients maintain their dignity in life when cure is challenging.
Meanwhile, the Pony Chung Innovation Award was established in 2006, named after the nickname of the late Chairman Jeong of Hyundai Motor, 'PONY 鄭 (Pony Jeong).' The award recognizes individuals or groups that have brought about or achieved positive change in our society through innovative thinking, presenting them with a cash prize of 200 million won and a plaque.