Unfortunately, many within the KoreabyMe community lost loved ones in the events that unfolded in Itaewon last weekend. If you would like to send the families donations to help them get through these difficult times, you can find their information below.
We are happy to announce that Madina, Rauf, Kristina, and Yuliana’s families have all received enough donations to fund their transportation back home and funeral costs. Thank you so much for your donations and assisting others within the community in their time of need.
*Only Verified information will be mentioned in this article. If you know of other funds, please forward them to our staff and we will do our best to verify them*
Donation Information for Madina Sherniyazova
Madina was a writer for KoreabyMe and an Instagram influencer who enjoyed sharing her adventures with other foreigners living in Korea. She was originally from Kazakstan and resided in Incheon while pursuing her master’s degree.
Madina’s family has successfully raised all of the funds needed for transportation and funeral costs. The remaining amount will be distributed to other families.
Kazakh Bank Account
Bank Info: Halyk Bank 5522 0433 4138 7858
Name: Damira Sherniyazova (Madina’s sister)
Korean Bank Account
Bank Info: KB Kookmin (KB국민) 0112-0104-232785
Name: Dana Mun (Madina’s friend)
Donation Information for Rauf
Rauf was from Uzbekistan. He was attending Incheon National University and nearing the end of his degree program. Friends say that he was extremely kind, caring, and regularly supported other international students when they came to him for help.
Korean Bank Account
Bank Info: Noghyup (농협): 3021-3139-88331
Name: Khabibullaev Sardor (Rauf’s friend)
Donation Information for Kristina G.
Kristina was an influencer from Novokuznetsk, Russia. She was known for having friends from all over the world and being an integral part of the influencer community.
Korean Bank Account
Bank Info: Woori Bank (우리은행) 1002-0333-02275
Name: Tchekhlova Anna (Kristina’s aunt)
Russian Bank Account
Bank Info: Сбербанк 2202202668109915
Name: Валерия Олеговна Р.
Donation Information for Yuliana Pak
Yuliana was from Vladivostok, Russia. She was Goryeoin (ethnic Koreans whose homeland is no longer in Korea due to changes in border lines). She worked as a counselor and teacher at a school for Russian Goryeoin children.
Korean Bank Account
Bank Info: Woori Bank (우리은행) 1002-2595-54535
Name: Park Artur (Yuliana’s dad)
Collective Funds
Legal Constraints
Without establishing a collective fund, the maximum amount that organizers can raise is 10 million won (7,462 USD).
In order for collective funds (run by businesses, volunteer groups, or other organizations) to be established, they must be registered with the government as nonprofits and undergo a review process. Without being registered, they are unfortunately illegal, and organizers may face legal consequences if they raise above 10 million won.
Currently, there are no collective funds for foreign victims of the events in Itaewon that have been legally registered.
Nordic Frost Coffee
Nordic Frost Coffee is a community fund that will be raising up to 10 million won for victims’ families. From Monday to Friday, the company will be hosting a pop-up cafe from 7 AM – 1 PM at Phillies Pub in the HBC neighborhood of Seoul during the month of November 2022. Staff are volunteers and the money from all sales will be donated.
Korea Donation Information
Woori Bank: 1005-804-333131
티엑스에이드서비스코
United States
CashApp: $NORDICFROSTCOFFEE
International
GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/58a7c863
**After Nordic Frost Coffee has raised 10 Million Won, legally they cannot accept more and will be returning the funds. In order to confirm if funds are still being accepted, you may DM @nordicfrostkr on Instagram.
Answers to Questions About Government Support
What the Government is Promising
As of November 2nd, the Korean government has decided to increase support for foreign victims.
In addition to the 15,000,000 Won (10,574 USD) initially promised to foreign victims’ families, an additional 20,000,000 Won (17,624 USD) will be given. The government will also pay for family members’ flights to Korea (Korea Air) as well as their accommodation.
Embassies have already contacted families and are helping them receive funds.
Issues Families Are Having With Receiving Funds
The first round of assistance was issued on Monday (11/7). So far only 14 out of 26 families have received payments. Many of the victims could not delay extraditing their loved ones due to cultural, religious, and political circumstances. Some of the issues families have faced are listed below:
Varying Embassy Assistance
Families need to fill out forms requesting assistance and hand them to the appropriate agencies for processing. Embassies are responsible for assisting families with receiving funds. This means that financial assistance varies by nationality. At least one embassy has been resistant to aiding families in receiving relief funds.
Religious and Cultural Burial Practices
Many of the victims, including Madina and Rauf, were Muslim. This means that they cannot be cremated and they will need to be laid to rest at the soonest possible date. Ideally, their funerals should have been held within 24 hours.
With the delay in funds, families had to pay the costs upfront. Many had to leave Korea before completing applications for relief.
Political Circumstances
Others are from countries currently experiencing war and political turmoil. In particular, those from Russia are finding it difficult to get to Korea in order to collect their loved one’s remains. There are currently no direct flights from Russia to Korea making it a very costly, multi-day trip. For those who cannot be cremated, they will need to be transported back by boat. There is a single ferry that operates between the two countries. It leaves once a week, on Fridays, and the cost of transporting those who have passed is 7,000,000 Won.
Many families could not afford the cost to come to Korea or bring their loved ones home on their own.
For information on grief and counseling services for foreigners in Korea, Click Here.
If you know of any other ways to assist those affected by the tragedy, or just need a space to grieve, we have opened a forum. You can access it by Clicking Here.
5 comments
Did each family receive $10,574?
As of now (11/7), only 14 families out of 26 have received payments from the government.
RIP. I donated!
How can I donate? Is there a donation page or link?
Hello,
Unfortunately in South Korea, the only way to legally donate is to transfer funds directly to close family members or friends. In order to fundraise or set up a collective donation, non-profits must go through a vetting process and legally register with the local government. No non-profits have made it through the process to distribute funds for foreign victims’ families yet. A direct bank transfer is the only legal way to donate.