(Yonhap)

South Korean actress Lee Young-ae has donated 106 million won (US$96,398) to a local charity to help recent earthquake victims in Pohang and Iran, the charity said Monday.

The Seoul-based Korea Foundation for Persons with Disabilities said about half of the money will be used to help quake victims in Pohang, the southeastern city recently hit by a magnitude 5.4 earthquake, and the remainder for quake victims in Iran, particularly children and people with disabilities.

"My heart broke upon hearing the news of Pohang citizens who received injuries and lost their homes in the earthquake and on the suffering of the Iranian people who loved my drama 'Daejanggeum' so much," Lee was quoted as saying. "Feeling sorry for the situation where the damage is getting worse, I wanted to help them out a little."

The foundation said it conveyed her donation to the Iranian Embassy in Seoul on Monday and decided to cooperate with the embassy in aiding relief efforts in Iran. (Yonhap)