Serve all people.

Human Rights, Service and Paiknam

"Service is not a cheap sell of one's personal dignity.
Service is the right way to practice humanity by following the ancient words of old that say not to be anyone's servant but to serve all. Only then can people achieve and enjoy welfare in a full and dignified sense." Paiknam's philosophy on service is representative of servant leadership.
Throughout his life, Paiknam Kim Lyun-joon maintained consistent love for the marginalized and poor. First, Paiknam focused on human rights problems all over society through human rights advocacy campaigns and worked hard to find solutions. From 1965 to January 2008, as a director and chairman of the Korean Confederation of International Human Rights, he was dedicated to the human rights defensive movement for 42 years.
Paiknam is remembered for devoting much effort to raise awareness concerning international human rights information through the International Human Rights League of Korea and to promote and advocate human rights. In addition, as governor of the North Korean Human Rights Improvement Movement, he sincerely made known North Korean human rights issues and called for improvement. Paiknam also put much effort into volunteer activities. He served as the president of Hanyang University and advocated for free medical service at Hanyang University hospital. He organized the first volunteer group among Korean universities and opened a way for students to experience real learning through community service.
His service and donation efforts had already begun from the time he attended Yonhee College.
As young man majoring in vocal music at Yonhee College, Paiknam held charity recitals in Sungjin and Seocheon to help flood victims in the North Hamkyung province. He donated the profits to the victims resulting in much praise from the media. In addition, Paiknam continued to follow his dreams of being a musician by composing music and holding charity recitals. In this way, Paiknam was able to even use music has as a means of service.
Paiknam had a clear position on community service. "Individual paternalism is not only unprofitable but also harmful for those who suffer.
However, what kind of future can we expect if people do not feel or act or share in the groans of pain who suffer now?" In his words, he strongly emphasized that service is not merely a slogan, ideology, or system. For him, volunteer activities were nothing but an expression of courtesy toward fellow human beings. Paiknam practiced noblesse oblige before anyone else.
"To gain is not success on its own. It is only the possibility of success. Success is determined by how useful what has been gained is to society and the world." In line with his words, Paiknam dedicated his life to volunteer activities, and, in this way, he remains forever as a practitioner of love.