Casino winner's £460k prize heading to research team
Korea's biggest ever casino jackpot winner has opted to take a very noble path and give his winnings away.
60-year-old Ahn Seung-pil netted £461,238 playing at Kangwon Land - the only casino in Korean at which Koreans can actually play. However, the lucky player has decided to hand all over his money over to a worthy cause, and this week signed a donation agreement with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST).
Ahn's decision seems particularly generous considering the toll the economic crisis had on his business. The cotton cloth trader found himself £2.4m in debt once the recession hit, but has managed to build himself into a position where he can give away the money. He said:
"I initially thought of using the money to pay off my personal debt, but I thought it would be more meaningful to use the money for the public good rather than for personal use."
Ahn added that he was particularly inspired to help out KAIST after viewing a television advert in which a professor stated that donations were needed in order to helped the growth of the organisation.
In addition to the prize money, Kangwon Land casino also gave Ahn a number of gifts including vouchers to be used at its hotel, ski facilities and golf course. He will also receive a 50 per cent discount on all of the company's facilities for the next year, and Kangwon is organising a special ceremony for the donation of the cash.