울려 퍼진 '사랑의 종소리'...'스마트 자선냄비' 도입<br /><br />It's that time of the year in South Korea when the Salvation Army take to the streets to raise money for those in need.<br />However, in light of the pandemic, this year's collection methods will be quite different from the years gone by.<br />Park Se-young explains<br />"Many neighbors are having a hard time because of COVID-19."<br />With less than one month left of the year, ....the iconic red donation pots have appeared on the streets.<br />Amid the outbreak, ...it's difficult to see people responding to the ringing of the Salvation Army's bells.<br />The pots at subway entrances tend to collect the most donations, ...but it's a long wait until someone opens their wallet.<br />"I always try to help those in need, and I just happened to have too many coins in my wallet today."<br />The Salvation Army's donations fell by 20 percent from eleven-point-eight million U.S. dollars in 2018 to nine-point-four million dollars in 2019.<br />The number of donation pots scattered across the country also dropped from some 440 in 2018 to around 330 this year.<br />"The coronavirus situation's risk factors make it difficult for people to volunteer, and participants have indeed decreased."<br />The charity held this year's bell ringing ceremony online and created a special website for online donations.<br />Last year, to adapt to changing lifestyles, the charity introduced the smart pot, ... where people can donate by scanning their transportation card or using a QR code.<br />Park Se-young, Arirang News.<br />
