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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 1 april 2020
South Korea shoe cobbler donates for needy amid coronavirus

By HYUNG-JIN KIM Tormented by the sepa-
Associated Press ration from his family, Kim
PAJU, South Korea (AP) — drank and smoked exces-
Kim Byung-rok survived tu- sively.
berculosis when he was 23, Then came the TB. When
but was left with one good he survived, he found relief
lung. In his work polishing in his faith and in volunteer
and mending shoes, he in- service.
haled too much dirt. For the past 25 years, he
So when he bought land has fixed thousands of used
on a small, quiet mountain or castoff shoes and donat-
in 2014, he wanted to heal, ed them to poor people,
to do some farming — and and provided free hair-
to breathe fresh air. cuts to older people with
But now Kim, 60, wants to dementia or other health
donate a big chunk of his problems.
holdings to the local gov- Kim and his wife now work
ernment. So many South together and make about
Koreans are shutting their 2-3 million won ($1,635-
businesses and face de- $2,450) a month, consid-
clining incomes due to erably less than South Ko-
the coronavirus outbreak, rea’s average household
which has hit the country In this March 25, 2020 photo, South Korean shoe repairman Kim Byung-rok shows his land during income of 4.8 million won.
hard; Kim thought the val- an interview in Paju, South Korea. Kim is in news after he revealed plans to donate his property They live in a small, two-
ue of his land could be put to help support people facing economic difficulties amid the coronavirus outbreak. Kim says he room apartment with two
to good use. wants to donate parts of his land on a small mountain near the border with North Korea that he of their three adult children,
“I went through a rough bought in 2014.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon) one of them a 26-year-old
childhood and I got help Associated Press son with Down syndrome.
from others all the time. I’ve 2,100 comments. Some call ginseng, herbs and other taxes, but he’s adamant: "If Kim said that “what aches
always thought I should him “an angel” or “a per- vegetables there. I have to pay that, I would my heart the most” is the
one day become a person son who deserves a seat in He has pledged the larg- accept that.” reaction of some friends
who helps others,” Kim said heaven.” est parcel of about 10,000 Kim, a devout Christian and neighbors to his plan.
at his Seoul shop, the thick Kim’s three plots of land pyeong (a bit more than who jokingly calls himself “a “They tell me things like,
grime under his nails testi- are located in Paju, near 8 acres). Local officials lamb,” has led a turbulent ‘Hey, what the heck are
mony to how he spends his the border with North Ko- value the gift at between life. you doing. ... Take care of
days. rea. He bought the land 500 and 700 million won, His father died when he your children first,” Kim said.
“Wouldn’t it be good if I when its prices plummeted or between $400,000 and was 6, and his mother later “But I’ve never had my kids
give the people strength due to North Korean mis- $570,000. married a man who beat go hungry and I’ve been
and courage?” he said. sile tests, before they rose There are technicalities that and abused him. Kim ran living happily. ... I’m satis-
It has had that effect. An again after inter-Korean re- must be worked out. Au- away from his home and fied with my life and can’t
online media story on his of- lations improved in recent thorities are trying to make began working as a shoe- just ignore the poor and
fer has garnered more than years. He’s since planted sure Kim will not face gift shine boy when he was 10. needy.”q

Royal no more: Harry and Meghan start uncertain new chapter

By JILL LAWLESS and their 10-month-old global shift and changing
Associated Press son Archie in California, far of habits, we are focusing
LONDON (AP) — Prince from Harry’s father Prince this new chapter to under-
Harry and his wife Meghan Charles — who is recover- stand how we can best
officially make the transi- ing after testing positive for contribute."
tion Tuesday from senior COVID-19 — and Harry’s It is less than two years
members of Britain’s royal 93-year-old grandmother, since ex-soldier Harry, who
family to — well, it’s un- Queen Elizabeth II. is sixth in line to the British
clear. International ce- "As we can all feel, the throne, married American
lebrities, charity patrons, world at this moment actress Meghan Markle
global influencers? seems extraordinarily frag- at Windsor Castle in a lav-
The royal schism that the ile,” the couple said in ish ceremony watched by
couple triggered in Janu- a final post Monday on millions around the world.
ary by announcing that their now-mothballed Sus- Soon the couple began to
they would step down sexRoyal Instagram ac- bristle at intense scrutiny by
from official duties, give count. the British media — which In this Saturday March 7, 2020 file photo, Britain's Prince Harry
up public funding, seek "What's most important they said tipped into ha- and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex arrive at the Royal Albert Hall
in London. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex has her first post-royal
financial independence right now is the health and rassment. They decided to job: narrating a Disney documentary about elephants. Disney
and swap the U.K. for well-being of everyone break free, in what Harry announced Thursday, March 26 that the duchess is lending her
North America becomes across the globe and find- called a "leap of faith" as voice to “Elephant,” released April 3 on the Disney+ streaming
official on March 31. ing solutions for the many he sought a more peace- service. (Simon Dawson/Pool via AP, file)
The move has been made issues that have present- ful life, without the journal- Associated Press
more complicated and ed themselves as a result ists who have filmed, pho- Harry has long had an un- his mother, Princess Diana.
poignant by the global of this pandemic,” they tographed and written comfortable relationship She died in a car crash in
coronavirus pandemic, added. "As we all find the about him since the day with the media, which he Paris in 1997 while being
which finds the couple part we are to play in this he was born. blames for the death of pursued by paparazzi.q