Actor Lee Young-ae donates to Israel-Hamas humanitarian aid

Actor Lee Young-ae [NEWS1]

Actor Lee Young-ae donated 50 million won ($38,700) to aid humanitarian efforts for children hurt in the Israel-Hamas war, the Korean Red Cross announced Tuesday.

“I am saddened by the news that is coming out daily,” said Lee in a press release from the Korean Red Cross. “I hope that this will be of some help to the children who are experiencing painful trauma after losing their families due to war.”

Lee's money will be used for relief activities such as medical support for children in affected areas and delivery of goods through the International Committee of the Red Cross. Since the armed conflict broke out on Oct. 7, there have been approximately 1,200 casualties on the Israeli side and 11,078 deaths in the Gaza Strip, of which 4,506 were children, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Lee previously donated 50 million won to the Korean Red Cross' relief efforts for victims of forest fires in Maui, Hawaii. She also made donations to the Guryong Village fire in January of this year and the flood damages in the Chungcheong region in the summer. She also made contributions during the Covid-19 pandemic and to refugees from the Ukraine war.

Lee is a 51-year-old veteran actor who debuted through a chocolate advertisement in 1990. She kicked off her acting career through the KBS drama series "How's Your Husband?" in 1993. Some of her prominent works include movies "Last Present" (2001), "Lady Vengeance" (2005) and "Bring Me Home" (2019), as well as dramas "Dae Jang Geum" (2003–2004) and "Saimdang, Memoir of Colors" (2017).

To find out more about Lee Young-ae, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY LIM JEONG-WON [lim.jeongwon@joongang.co.kr]