Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation Holds the 11th 'Samsung Happiness Awards' Ceremony

This Year's Women Leadership Award Goes to Jo Han-hyejung, Honorary Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Yonsei University

On the 20th, the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation held the '2023 Samsung Happiness Awards Ceremony' at the auditorium of the Samsung Children’s Education and Culture Center in Hannam-dong, Seoul.

The Samsung Happiness Awards aim to promote a happy society of coexistence by recognizing and encouraging individuals who have excelled in advancing women's social roles and professional fields, as well as those who have practiced love through family cultures suited to the times. At this 11th ceremony, award recipients' families, Seo Jeong-don, director of the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation, members of the Samsung Happiness Awards Committee, judges and recommenders of the Samsung Happiness Awards, and past recipients attended to celebrate the winners.

At the 2023 Samsung Happiness Awards ceremony held on the 20th at the Samsung Education and Culture Center auditorium in Hannam-dong, Seoul, the awardees are taking a commemorative photo. From the front row, starting from the left and moving counterclockwise: Jo Han-hyejeong, Honorary Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Yonsei University; Muk In-hee, Professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine; Park Young-joo, Music Teacher at Sejong Arts High School; Baek Hye-gyeong, Student at Paejae University; Ok Hyo-jeong, Student at Shinmyeong High School; Choi Byeol, Student at Incheon Business High School; Kim Seon-ae, Student at Jeongwon Girls' Middle School; and Lian Tian Nun, Student at Kyung Hee University. / Photo by Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation

This year, the Women’s Leadership Award went to Cho Han-hye-jeong (75), professor emeritus of cultural anthropology at Yonsei University; the Women’s Creativity Award to Mook In-hee (60), professor at Seoul National University College of Medicine; and the Family Harmony Award to Park Young-joo (54), music teacher at Sejong Arts High School. The Youth Awardees included a total of eight students: Kim Sun-ae (15) from Jeongwon Girls’ Middle School, Choi Byeol (17) from Incheon Business High School, Ok Hyo-jung (18) from Shinmyeong High School, Lian Tian Nun (20) from Kyung Hee University, and Baek Hye-kyung (21) from Paichai University. Awardees received plaques and prize money of 50 million KRW each (5 million KRW each for Youth Awards).

Director Seo Jeong-don congratulated the recipients, saying, "Only altruistic people who value others can truly enjoy happiness," and added, "Those honored today are individuals who have prioritized and practiced the happiness of their families and society over themselves."

Professor Cho Han-hye-jeong, recipient of the Women’s Leadership Award, said, "I often think that we must end the era of competition, hostility, war, and violence through the practice of mutual care," adding, "Care is labor and an ethical perspective, an emotion and a principle of thought, and the greatest gift given by God to both men and women. Now, we must properly accept and utilize this gift."

Baek Hye-kyung, a Youth Award recipient, expressed her gratitude: "Thanks to the help, attention, and affection from those around me, I have gained courage and am doing my best in volunteering, studying, and part-time work," and said, "I will strive to become a social worker who can help people like me who have pain, and live a life that can be of help to someone."

Lee Ki-soon, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, encouraged the awardees in her congratulatory speech, saying, "The recipients have played very important roles in the development of the Republic of Korea and have been great examples in creating happy families and a warm society," and added, "The stories of the students who received the Youth Award will have a positive influence not only on their peers but also on adults."

To celebrate the awardees, the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation arranged a viewing event of the exhibition currently held at the Leeum Museum of Art and the 'Seoul Metropolitan Children’s Hospital Children and Youth Art Therapy Exhibition.' After the ceremony, the recipients spent meaningful time viewing the exhibitions with their families and acquaintances.

The Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation established and operates the Samsung Happiness Awards in 2013 by integrating and succeeding the 'Bichumi Women’s Award' and the 'Samsung Filial Piety Award.' Through the Samsung Happiness Awards, a total of 88 recipients (85 individuals and 3 organizations) have received approximately 2 billion KRW in prize money to date.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.