Mongolian teen who called Korea home saves five through organ donation
A 16-year-old Mongolian student who considered Korea his second home gave his heart, lungs, liver and kidneys to five patients after being declared brain-dead.
Otgon Sanjmyatav, with the Korean name Lee Tae-oh who donated his organs after declared brain-dead because of a traffic accidentKOREA ORGAN DONATION AGENCY
A Mongolian teenager who was declared brain-dead after a traffic accident saved the lives of five patients through organ donation, the Korea Organ Donation Agency (KODA) said Thursday.
Otgon Sanjmyatav, with the Korean name Lee Tae-oh, aged 16, donated his heart, lungs, liver and both kidneys at Korea University Guro Hospital on June 11 after suffering irreversible brain damage in a traffic accident.
He underwent surgery and treatment after being involved in a traffic accident on June 3 but never regained consciousness and was later declared brain-dead.His organs were transplanted into five recipients.
The bereaved family said they decided to donate his organs to honor his caring nature and his lifelong desire to help others.
"He always thought of others before himself," his older sister said. "If he were still with us, I think he would have wanted to help even more people. That's why we chose todonate his organs."
Born in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, in 2010, Lee moved to Korea with his parents at the age of 6 and lived there for about a decade. He attended kindergarten, elementary and middle school in Korea and was a first-year high school student at the time of the accident.
Having grown up immersed in Korean language and culture, Lee considered Korea his second home. He cheered for the Korean national soccer team and could naturally sing the national anthem. He also enjoyed basketball, soccer and judo and dreamed of starting his own business in Korea one day.
People celebrate the opening of a memorial space for organ donors, at Samsung Medical Center in Gangnam District, southern Seoul on June 5.JOONGANG ILBO
Lee was also known for his kindness.At his middle school graduation ceremony, he approached classmates who had no one to take photos with and offered to pose with them. In high school, he was elected class president, and about 100 classmates and teachers attended his funeral.
"Thank you for being my son," his mother said in a message to her son. "I was happy of all the love you brought into my life. In Mongolia, people say that the souls of those who leave this world return to their families someday. I hope you'll come back to us again."
His sister added, "Tae-oh, I love you so much."
"Lee Tae-oh's life-saving giftafter spending 10 years as a valued member of our society, has touched people beyond national borders," said Samuel Lee, president of KODA. "We extend our deepest condolences to his family for making such a difficult decision."
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
