Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, ceremony for the ‘Best Ambassador Award 2021’
and ‘Korea First, World Best Awards 2021’ organized by Korea Ambassador Culture & Friendship Association and Korea Consumer Association were held at National Press Club, 20th floor, Korea Press Center on March 24, 2021 strictly keeping the rules of social distancing.
Park Ho-gun (former Minister of Science and Technology, former President of Incheon National University) said in his opening address "We should take a leaf out of Kakao Chairman Kim Bum-soo's book in today’s hard times. Such a spirit could be the source of Korea’s first, world best brand of our time that we should emulate in this era."
President & Publisher, Shin Hyun-doo said in his greetings, "We need to end the vain fairness and unfair politics and revive the indomitable spirit of challenge like Chairman Chung Ju-young."
In particular, Panamanian Ambassador, H.E. Athanasio Kosmas Sifaki as a representative awardee of “Best Ambassador Award 2021” expressed his deep gratitude and stressed the importance of strengthening all ties between the Republic of Panama and the Republic of Korea in his congratulatory speech as below;
“It is an honor for me to be here with all of you and receive the recognition from the Korea Ambassador Culture & Friendship Association. I would like to deeply appreciate the distinction conferred on me with the ”Best Ambassador Award 2021“ in recognition of the promotion of mutual understanding between the Republic of Panama and the Republic of Korea, contributing on strengthening the diplomatic, economic and cultural relations between the two countries.
Also, I would like to send my special thanks to my wife, my children, my family and most of all, the President of the Republic of Panama, Laurentino Cortizo who distinguished and honored me to represent our country in the Republic of Korea.
I sincerely and humbly thank this honor and I will carry it with dignity, I will continue to put enthusiasm and commitment in the tasks that the future holds for me in order to honor my Homeland and to further strengthen all ties between the Republic of Panama and the Republic of Korea in the years to come.“
Two other awardees of the “Best Ambassador Award 2021” were H.E. Otar Berdzenishhvili, Georgian Ambassador to Korea and H.E. Long Dimanche, Cambodian Ambassador to Korea for their outstanding contribution to bilateral economic development and promoting better understanding between the peoples of the two countries.
At the second stage of the event, “Korea First, World Best Awards 2021”, 44 CEOs of small and medium companies were awarded with their best quality products and
most familiar brand images.
In the local luxury brand category, Hoeng Sung-woo in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon-do, Boseong-green tea in Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do, and Joseon white porcelain yoji in Gwangju, Gyeonggi-do were honored for seven consecutive years.
In the corporate sector, Samsung Electronics, Ottogi, Hyundai Motor, and CJ CheilJedang have won eight consecutive years, and this year's first winners are Orye Life Sciences Co., Ltd., Best E-commerce Store, Joyka Gwangtaek Wash Co., Ltd., Namyang Food Co., Ltd., Jeonju Hyundai Ok, and Emperor Fuyoon Co., Ltd.