Hong Rahee Receives Dongbaek Medal... Honored for "40 Years of Giving"

Long-term social contributions across
culture, healthcare and social welfare

Samsung Foundation of Culture said on Oct. 26 that Hong Rahee, honorary director of the Leeum Museum of Art, had been awarded the Dongbaek Medal, the third class of the Order of Civil Merit, by the government in recognition of her contributions to sharing and giving across the arts and culture, healthcare, and welfare sectors. The Order of Civil Merit is awarded by the government to people with distinguished records of service in politics, the economy, society, education, or academia that have helped improve public welfare and advance the nation.

Hong Ra-hee (right), honorary director of Leeum Museum of Art, poses for a commemorative photo after receiving the Dongbaek Medal of the Order of Civil Merit from Second Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Hyeong-hoon at a ceremony marking the founding of the Korean Red Cross, held at Woori Bank's headquarters in Jung District, Seoul, on the 26th. Samsung Foundation of Culture

Hong has carried on the wishes of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee, working to dramatically expand public access to culture in Korea and promote Korean cultural heritage internationally. In 2021, Hong, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, and other members of the bereaved family donated more than 23,000 artworks from Lee's collection to the nation.

A domestic touring exhibition organized by the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art drew a wave of public interest. Since November 2025, overseas special exhibitions have been held at venues including the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art in Washington, D.C., the Art Institute of Chicago, and the British Museum. Hong attended gala receptions in person, meeting prominent figures in the cultural sectors of various countries and introducing the value of Korean art to audiences around the world.

She was also recognized for her major contributions to healthcare. The bereaved family donated 1 trillion won from Lee's estate to expand the nation's medical infrastructure.

Of that amount, 300 billion won was allocated to children with cancer and rare diseases, leading to the launch of the Lee Kun-hee Pediatric Cancer and Rare Disease Support Project. The remaining 700 billion won was invested in establishing the nation's first National Central Infectious Disease Hospital and expanding advanced vaccine and treatment research facilities, among other efforts to establish a national hub for infectious disease prevention and control.

In addition, Hong joined the Red Cross Honors Club, a group for donors who have contributed at least 100 million won to the Korean Red Cross, as its No. 3 founding member in 2016. In 2025, she was inducted into the Red Cross Honors 10 Billion Won Club. She has also donated 1 billion won to the Youth Happiness Foundation and 355 million won to the Yongsan Welfare Foundation, and has continued to support programs preserving traditional Buddhist culture and the cultural heritage of Won Buddhism and Catholicism, helping foster a more mature culture of giving in Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.