The 7th 'Jangbogo Hansang Award' Ceremony Held

Seung Eun-ho, Chairman of Korindo Group, Receives Grand Prize
16 Countries Including 7-Time Winners, 37 Awardees Announced

[Wando=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil] The 7th ‘Jangbogo Hansang Award’ (hereinafter Hansang Award) ceremony, hosted by Wando County and the Jangbogo Global Foundation, was held on the 3rd at the Ulsan Exhibition & Convention Center.

The Hansang Award is an honorable award that certifies overseas Korean businesspeople who have made significant contributions to expanding South Korea’s economic and cultural territory abroad and have led the development of the Korean community and the cultivation of Korean ethnic identity as ‘21st-century Jangbogo.’ To date, including the 7th awardees, 37 recipients from 16 countries have been honored.

The ceremony was attended by 150 overseas Korean businesspeople (Hansang), including the 7th awardees, Go Sang-gu, chairman of the Hansang Award Recipients Association, Park Jong-beom, honorary chairman, past recipients, and Song Chang-geun, chairman of KMK Group in Indonesia, among others.

Hosted by former KBS announcer Jo Geon-jin, the ceremony proceeded with the introduction of guests by Secretary-General Hwang Sang-seok, opening remarks by Chairman Kim Deok-ryong, a welcoming speech by Wando County Governor Shin Woo-cheol, and congratulatory remarks by Chairman Kim Seong-gon of the Overseas Koreans Foundation.

The 7th Jangbogo Hansang Awards were presented as follows: the Jangbogo Dedication Award (Grand Prize) to Seung Eun-ho, chairman of Corindo Group (Indonesia); the National Assembly Speaker’s Award to Lee Suk-jin, chairwoman of Jemai Holdings (Australia); the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award to Lee Mateo, chairman of KMT Group (Malaysia); the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award to Kim Kyung-rok, chairman of Galtex International (Vietnam); and the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award to Jang Jae-jung, chairman of Uni Group (Philippines). The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award was given to Choi Kyung-joo, chairman of the KJ Foundation, with Pi Joo-hwan, executive director of the Choi Kyung-joo Foundation, receiving the award on his behalf.

Seung Eun-ho, chairman of Corindo Group, who received the grand prize, emigrated to Indonesia in 1969 and, over 53 years, developed large-scale afforestation, established lumber development, plywood, paper, and tissue factories, building a vertically integrated wood processing business. He also founded Corindo Group, which encompasses 30 affiliates including broadcasting, commercial vehicle truck and bus manufacturing, energy generation, finance, logistics, and real estate, growing it into a mid-sized group with $1 billion in sales.

Lee Suk-jin, chairwoman of Jemai Holdings, recipient of the National Assembly Speaker’s Award, operates a commercial cleaning service company with 560 business sites in Australia and New Zealand. She has led efforts to cultivate Korean ethnic identity among overseas Korean children by donating 100 million KRW to establish a Korean Studies Institute at Queensland University in Australia and providing an annual scholarship of $20,000 for Korean Studies doctoral candidates at the University of Sydney.

Choi Kyung-joo, chairman of the KJ Foundation and recipient of the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award, emigrated to the United States in 1999, achieved eight PGA Tour wins, and became the first Korean player to win on the PGA Champions Tour for players over 50, growing into a world-class golfer representing Korea. He established the Choi Kyung-joo Foundation in 2007 and has supported a total of 31.5 billion KRW for 315 golf hopefuls and 41.7 billion KRW for scholarship hopefuls from 2010 through last year.

Lee Mateo, chairman of KMT Group and recipient of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Award, entered Malaysia in 1987 and founded KMT Trading in 1994. He grew a mid-sized group with six affiliates specializing in importing and wholesaling Korean products and foods. He contributed to helping domestic companies obtain halal food development and certification, enabling Korean products to enter the Muslim market, which accounts for 25% of the world’s population.

Kim Kyung-rok, chairman of Galtex International (Vietnam) and recipient of the Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award, moved to Vietnam in 2005. It was found that 70% of medical workers in the U.S. wear uniforms produced by his company. He donated $30,000 for the construction fund of the Korean International School in Hanoi and 50 million KRW to the Korean community in Hanoi to help overcome COVID-19.

Jang Jae-jung, chairman of Uni Group and recipient of the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries Award, emigrated to the Philippines in 1984, established 11 affiliates including a comprehensive logistics company and shipping agency, growing it into one of the top five logistics companies. In 2002, he founded the nonprofit Sorok Uni Foundation, providing housing for 1,500 Hansen’s disease patients in the Philippines and supporting self-reliance through poultry and pig farming.

Meanwhile, after the ceremony, the awardees will visit Wando County to hold a welcoming ceremony at the Jangbogo Hansang Hall of Fame, which exhibits the success stories of past Hansang Award recipients, and tour Wando’s attractions including the Marine Healing Center.

Wando=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Kyungpil alwatros@asiae.co.kr

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