Owner of noodle shop leaves all to university

Kim Bok-sun

Kim Bok-sun, an 83-year-old noodle stand owner, passed away last Friday, leaving everything she owned to Kyung Hee University.
The bequest includes a 270-million-won ($284,000) villa-style apartment in Jayang-dong, eastern Seoul ― and her own body.
“I grant all my property to Kyung Hee University and the body to the attached hospital,” Kim said in her will, which she executed before her death. The will had attached documents from her three daughters promising to give up their rights to an inheritance.
The university on Wednesday announced the donation by Kim. Her body was also given to the university’s hospital to be used for research purposes.
The noodle stand owner had pledged the bequest to the school nine years ago, in 1998. In 2002 she gave the university her first donation of 88 million won.
Kim’s daughter is Shim Myeong-hui, 38.
“When my mother was young, she only had three hours of sleep to make her living and save money, but I never saw her spend money for herself.” Shim said.
Kim had said that the most important thing is to get an education. The person who handled the donation procedure said, “Kim made up her mind to give her property to Kyung Hee University about 10 years ago after reading an article on the school’s UN Peace Day ceremony.”
She had her will documented nine years ago due to health problems. In 1998, complications from her diabetes were discovered. She went to a close friend and asked that person to become a witness. “Kim said she wanted to document her will while she was still mentally able,” said the friend who handled the paperwork.
The university established the Kim Bok-sun Scholarship Foundation to support students in need of financial help.
Kim’s husband passed away when she was in her late 30s in 1960. The couple didn’t have any children. Kim opened a 12 square meter (129 square feet) noodle shop and saved money. Since then she has adopted homeless children. In her census registration only two of her daughters are listed, but in reality she raised three daughters and one son. Kim Mi-jin, 26, is the last one of them. The age difference between mother and daughter was too big, so Kim Bok-sun had a relative adopt her and then raised Mi-jin by herself. She adopted her son about 40 years ago but lost contact after he became an adult. Kim’s family is preparing to move from the apartment that Kim has donated. Her second daughter, Shim Myeong-hui and her taxi driver husband also plan to donate their wealth to Kyung Hee University.
Shim recalls her mother as strict and frugal. “During the holidays we would sometimes receive gifts. If it was something to eat, Mother would only allow us to have a taste and she would then send it to people who couldn’t afford food. She always reminded us to care for others.”

By Kang In-sik JoongAng Ilbo [yhwang@joongang.co.kr]