Son Seong-hyeok. (Yonhap)

The parents of a university student who died last year have donated 100 million won ($74,000) to their son's school, university officials said Monday.

According to Changwon National University, the parents of Son Seong-hyeok made the contribution in memory of their son, who died in December due to an acute heart failure.

"Our son did not get to realize his dreams at the university, but my wife and I decided to make the donation for the students of CNU who are trying their best, with the same passion that our son once had," said the boy's father, Son Myeong-dong.

The Son family were distraught by the premature death of their son, with the father refusing to eat afterward due to shock. The 61-year-old father had been particularly close with the son, who he had at the relatively late age of 38.

The family said they eventually started to seek out what they could do for their son after his passing, and decided to make the donation for students at their son's school.