Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH) announced Thursday that it had received a donation of 100,000 XRP tokens from Kim Geo-seok, a private investor whose personal story reads like a Hollywood screenplay. The contribution, formalized on March 26, carries an estimated value of approximately 210 million Korean won (around $145,000 USD) at current exchange rates.
This is not the first time Kim has turned to digital assets to support public healthcare: last November, the investor donated an entire Bitcoin to the same institution. This latest transaction cements the hospital's position as a pioneer in accepting virtual currencies, channeling profits from the crypto market into tangible resources for its development fund and pediatric medical center.
From a Stolen Childhood to Financial Success
Kim's generosity is rooted in a past marked by profound hardship. Orphaned at just four years old during the Korean War (1950–53), Kim was transferred to an orphanage on Jeju Island, bearing visible facial scars from a partisan attack. Upon returning to Seoul, he lived on the fringes of society, taking on odd jobs just to survive.
His turning point came at age 19 when, gazing out over the city from Namsan Tower, he swore to himself that one day he would own one of those illuminated homes he could see below. A self-taught investor, he began studying the markets by reading financial newspapers daily and absorbing the philosophies of icons like Warren Buffett and Peter Lynch. The road, however, was far from smooth: after losing everything on a bad stock bet, he had to start again from scratch, working as a hotel security guard and saving every penny to rebuild his portfolio.
The Pioneer of Crypto Philanthropy
Today, at 79, Kim Geo-seok is not just a successful investor but a symbol of the "silent revolution" in South Korean charitable giving. "Knowing how to spend money wisely matters more than earning it," he told the Maeil Business Newspaper in a May 2025 interview.
His philanthropic activity has reached remarkable figures: at Seoul National University Hospital alone, he has donated a cumulative total of 1.27 billion won. His commitment also extends to the Korean Red Cross, where he became the first individual member of the "Super High-Value Donors Club," pledging a total of one billion won earmarked for free clinics serving uninsured workers and multicultural families.
New Regulation Enabling Crypto Giving
Kim's shift toward cryptocurrencies as a giving vehicle was enabled by a landmark decision from South Korea's Financial Services Commission (FSC), which in mid-2025 permitted nonprofit organizations to legally liquidate donations made in digital assets. Kim was among the first to take advantage of this new framework.
Currently, both Seoul National University Hospital and the Korean Red Cross follow strict internal guidelines, immediately converting cryptocurrency gifts into fiat currency (Korean won) via the Upbit exchange to ensure stability and transparency in the management of received funds.
The Dream of Everyday Solidarity
During the donation ceremony on March 9, Kim expressed a simple but powerful wish: he hopes that crypto-based philanthropy will become so commonplace that it no longer makes headlines. For the hospital's director, Kim Young-tae, Kim Geo-seok's example is essential to modernizing the concept of charitable giving in the digital age.
Despite his advanced age, the former orphan who once dreamed of owning a home among Seoul's city lights shows no signs of slowing down, pursuing his goal of becoming South Korea's greatest individual donor — transforming the pain of his past into the wellbeing of future generations.
