<Anchor> This



is the Tower of Love installed in the square in front of Seoul City Hall. As of today (28th), 265.2 billion won has been collected and it is recording 71.7 degrees, and the temperature has risen as large corporations made large-scale donations at the beginning of this month. However, if you look closely, the amount of corporate donations, including small and medium-sized enterprises, has decreased by 17% compared to last year, and the number of individual donors is only about half. In addition, the number of volunteers sharing warmth at the volunteer site is much lower than in previous years.



Reporter Nam Jung-min reports.



<Reporter> From



hand to hand, the briquettes that are constantly being passed are piled up proudly one after another.



This village, which is about to be demolished due to redevelopment, is mostly elderly people living alone, and it is the first time in almost two years that volunteers carrying briquettes have come to this village.



[Kim Eun-hee/Secretary of the Briquette Sharing Movement Headquarters of Love: In some cases, such as companies, institutions, and schools, there were many cases of cancellations.] The number of



households receiving briquette donations has decreased to less than half of the previous year because there is no one to deliver the briquettes

.

.



The company, which has been providing catering services for decades, is also experiencing a manpower shortage.



Normally, there were 15 volunteers a day to help prepare and distribute meals, but now there are only two or three.



[Kwon Woo-Hong/University Student (Volunteer): I came to see that there are many things to do, but there are not many volunteers, so it was sad and difficult.]



The shortage of manpower is being filled by the employees by advancing their working hours to 3 am.



This is because we have to provide meals to nearly 1,000 senior citizens every day.



[Kim Mi-kyung / Head of Dail Community: We heat the soup with retort and go out, but these people prefer to serve side dishes.

It takes too much time to prepare and wrap side dishes, so it hurts my heart so much that I can't do it.] The



number of volunteers across the country fell to about half that of last year, the first year of the corona epidemic, and a third this year, the second year of the epidemic.



[Jin-Woo Kim/Professor of Social Welfare Department, Duksung Women's University: More importantly, I think that the aspect of being able to escape from psychological isolation through such face-to-face volunteering is very important.

Aren't there many difficulties that are now being accompanied even in examining the difficulties of the underprivileged?

.] In the



new year, the COVID-19 epidemic is over and the volunteers are eagerly hoping that they can return to their daily lives.



(Video coverage: Hong Jong-su, Kim Yong-woo, Video editing: Kim Jong-mi)