The Export-Import Bank of Korea (www.koreaexim.go.kr, Chairman Kim Yong-hwan, “Korea Eximbank”) announced on August 28 that it nominated the North Korean defector and woman boxer Choi Hyun-mi as a goodwill ambassador for the bank’s pro-bono program Seed of Hope.

Born in Pyeongyang, Ms Choi came to South Korea in 2004. In 2008, she became the World Boxing Association (WBA) women’s featherweight champion. She also challenged and defeated Raika Fujin (37, Japan) in the super featherweight division on August 15, the Korean Independence Day.

But defending her world champion title had been an uphill struggle without an official sponsor to support her ？ reason why Korea Eximbank promised to provide her with KRW 50 million a year in athletic scholarship money.

In return, Ms Choi will be actively participating in community service activities for resettled North Koreans, an area of work that is prioritized by the bank’s Seed of Hope program.

As the trustee of the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund (IKCF), Korea Eximbank has been continually engaged in pro-bono activities targeting resettled North Koreans.

In February, Korea Eximbank donated KRW 25 million to Samheung School, an alternative school for resettled North Koreans, to help fund its historical and cultural experience program; in May, the bank donated KRW 15 million to ‘Family’, a group home for North Korean adolescents with which the bank has a sisterhood relationship, to help the group hold a concert.

In June, the bank made a KRW 100 million donation to cover education expenses at alternative schools for resettled North Koreans and in August, a KRW 20 million donation to fund a job search training program for resettled North Korean college students.