Yonhap, Save the Children host annual mini marathon to help needy children in Asia, Africa

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- Thousands of children and their families took part in a mini marathon Sunday that was hosted by South Korea's key news service Yonhap News Agency and the international charity Save the Children to raise funds for children suffering from hunger and disease in Asia and Africa. The 4.2195-kilometer race, one-tenth of a full marathon, was held at Seoul's World Cup Park, with about 3,000 people running along a course that also offered chances to learn about what it's like to suffer from malaria, hypothermia, malnutrition and a lack of drinkable water. The event was also sponsored by the Seoul Metropolitan Government; Yonhap News TV, a 24-hour all-news channel affiliated with Yonhap; and KB Securities. The entire proceeds from the entry fees -- 10,000 won (US$9.06) per person -- will be spent on projects to save children under 5 years old in Laos and Uganda. "This year marks the fourth time that Yonhap News Agency and Save the Children have co-hosted the International Children's Marathon. The reason we organized this event is to help children in neighboring countries while making ourselves healthier through running," Sim Shoo-hwa, Yohap's managing director for marketing, said during the opening speech. "We're living in the era of the 'global village', which means that all people around the world are neighbors and friends. We cannot be happy just because we're well-off when neighbors are having hard times. The way to genuine happiness is to ensure all are well-off together," he said. Other high-profile participants included Kim Noh-bo, head of Save the Children Korea, and the charity's PR ambassador and singer Ha Choon-hwa. Kim, Ha and Sim also ran the course after an opening ceremony emceed by TV personality Ha Ji-hye. Participants were given a medal and a certificate of volunteer service. Save the Children has organized the event in Seoul since 2011. Since last year, it has also held a similar event in the southwestern port city of Gunsan, and it added three more cities -- Sejong, Busan and Daegu -- this year, bringing the number of cities where the annual event is held to five. Of them, Yonhap New Agency co-hosts the events held in Seoul, Busan and Daegu. (END)