Singer Yoo Yeol, who received a new lease on life through a lung transplant from a brain-dead donor, has been appointed as a joint "Life Sharing Ambassador."
The Korea National Institute of Organ, Tissue and Blood Management under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korea Organ Donation Agency announced on the 9th that Yoo has begun his role as ambassador to express gratitude to the donor and bereaved family who gave him hope for a new life, and to spread the noble value of life sharing through organ donation.
Yoo was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2017 and battled the disease for seven years before his condition became life-threatening. In the summer of 2024, he received a lung transplant from a brain-dead organ donor and now lives a new life. Having recovered his health a year and six months after surgery, he reportedly accepted this appointment to contribute to raising awareness and promoting organ donation as someone who has directly experienced the value of life sharing.
"Thanks to the life-sharing practice of the donor, the bereaved family, and the medical staff, I feel like I can breathe fresh air," Yoo said. "With the donor's lungs breathing in my body, I will widely spread the message of how precious and important life sharing is to many people."
Yoo plans to participate in various life-sharing awareness activities, including related events, Life Sharing Week ceremonies, and the production of promotional posters and videos.
"I hope the voice of singer Yoo Yeol, who has delivered comfort and inspiration to many through his songs, will now become a resonance that conveys the meaning of life sharing," said Shin Seung-il, Director of the Korea National Institute of Organ, Tissue and Blood Management. "We will work to broaden social consensus on life sharing."
