Ha Ji Won's latest charity work is going to help children smile. She recently became the second Asian honorary ambassador of the children's charity known as Operation Smile. As Jackie Chan was the first Asian ambassador, she is the first Asian woman to represent the group. Past representatives include Mariah Carey and Jessica Simpson.
The international children's medical charity provides cleft lip and palate surgeries, as well as ongoing medical therapies to children with facial deformities. The charity helps children in less developed countries, currently reaching out to children in 63 nations.
She begins her work for the charity on Nov. 15 in Hanoi at the celebration of the 25th anniversary of Operation Smile Vietnam. The charity invites medical personnel from all over the world to the event. As well as attending the upcoming event, Ha Ji Won will take part in conferences and future fundraising events.
It's not the first time that the action star has done charity work. And the actress has a special place in her heart for the needs of children. The actress and her fan club members helped underprivileged and disabled children in cooperation with the Gangnam-gu Family Welfare Center. She donated almost $100,000 to the center's Smile Again project, which provides children with financial, medical and educational help.
She won the Prime Minister's Award in recognition of her hard work in on behalf of poor and handicapped families.
At the time, her management company Wellmade Star M said, "She participated in many programs for disabled families and poor families. It wasn't a one-time event but she participated from the preparation stages for various programs and received recognition for her active, consistent hard work."
The actress also donated the proceeds from her bestselling memoir-style book, "This Moment" to the children's aid group Choi Kyung Joo Foundation and to Yonsei University Hospital. The Choi Kyung Joo Foundation uses the money to create scholarships for art students. The hospital uses her donation to subsidize treatment for deaf and blind children.
Ha Ji Won also helped to promote greater international cooperation for medical technology. Together with actor Song Joong Ki, she attended Medical Korea 2013 Sharing Medical tTeatment Commemorative Event. At the event she spent time with recovering children. She also received an award for her previous efforts on behalf of sharing medical services.
The actress recently starred in the 51-episode historical drama "Empress Ki." She is also known for her roles in "Secret Garden" and "King 2 Hearts."
