The Pohang YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) in South Korea took part in a second-hand item sharing event held on September 30 in front of the Sea Pavilion at Yeongildae in Pohang, offering more than 500 donated second-hand items for sale or free distribution to citizens, with all proceeds donated to the organizer, "Happiness Store."

Key Points

  • At the second-hand item sharing event held on September 30 in front of the Sea Pavilion at Yeongildae in Pohang, the Pohang YMCA offered more than 500 second-hand items—including books, clothing, dolls, footwear, and household goods—for citizens to purchase or take for free.
  • The event was hosted by the city of Pohang and organized by "Happiness Store"; the YMCA donated all proceeds from the charity sale to Happiness Store for community mutual aid.
  • Kim Kyung-beom, chairman of the Pohang YMCA, said the organization will continue to carry out various activities that combine environmental protection, resource circulation, and community sharing.

In terms of the event's composition, the items shared covered textiles such as second-hand clothing and footwear, as well as books, dolls, and daily necessities, totaling more than 500 items. The parallel approaches of charity sale and free sharing meant that some items went directly to citizens in need, while others were converted into cash through low-price sales and then channeled back into community public welfare.

The Pohang YMCA said it has continued to participate every year in sharing events organized by Happiness Store, with the aim of giving idle items new value and promoting environmental protection and a broader culture of community sharing through reuse. The city of Pohang as host and Happiness Store as organizer formed the organizational framework of the event.

At the event, Pohang YMCA chairman Kim Kyung-beom said that the practice of bringing small items to share and use together will connect into precious acts of kindness that save resources and help neighbors; he also said the organization will continue to carry out various activities that integrate environmental protection, resource circulation, and community sharing.

This kind of second-hand item sharing and charity sale jointly promoted by civic groups and public-interest shops belongs to the end segment of the old clothing and second-hand textile reuse chain—it does not enter the commercial recycling system, but instead completes reuse through community activities and returns economic benefits to the local area. For practitioners concerned with old clothing trade and textiles circular utilization, this kind of public-interest-oriented second-hand circulation model also provides a window for observing where residents' old clothing goes and their willingness to dispose of it.

Source: 포항YMCA, 중고물품 나눔 통해 자원순환과 이웃사랑 실천 · Originally published on 2026-10-01