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1 Aug – It was revealed that singer John Park has been selected as the honorary ambassador for the International Poverty-reduction Contribution policy.
According to Allkpop website, a representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade stated that the reason for John Park's appointment was due to his kind image that best suited the purpose of giving hope to the poor countries in Africa.
They added, "A lot of people don't know that every time they fly abroad, KRW 1,000 is being donated to Africa," thus making John Park's appointment crucial to the spread of this knowledge.
Meanwhile, John Park's agency revealed that the singer is extremely grateful for the appointment and will participate wholeheartedly in the activities that will be planned for him. The "American Idol 9" alumni have already started his duty officially on 31 July through the "International Poverty-Reduction Contribution Happy Flight Campaign" that was held at the Incheon International Airport.
The International Poverty-reduction Contribution policy that was established in 2007 imposes a tax of KRW 1,000 (USD 87 cents) to the cost of international flights leaving from South Korea. The contribution has been used to fight poverty and diseases in Africa through the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and other NGOs.
