Director An Jong-il Wins Grand Prize at Disabled Culture and Arts Awards

Prime Minister's Commendation Awarded to Severely Disabled Vocalist Lee Nam-hyun

Visually impaired film director An Jong-il (49) will receive the Presidential Citation. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced six recipients of the Disabled Culture and Arts Awards on the 21st. The award ceremony will be held at 3 p.m. at the Ieum Center Art Hall.

An, the Presidential Citation (Grand Prize) winner, has been recognized for his directing skills by competing with non-disabled filmmakers at numerous film festivals, including winning the Gold Prize in the Apple Cinema category at the 2018 Daegu Short Film Festival. He is currently working as an instructor at the National Media Center.

The Prime Minister's Citation (Excellence Award) goes to Lee Nam-hyun (39), the world's first post-onset quadriplegic professional vocalist. With his outstanding singing, he performed congratulatory shows at events such as the 30th anniversary ceremony of the National Rehabilitation Center in 2016 and the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics emblem unveiling ceremony in 2018.

The Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Citation is awarded to three individuals. They are Lee Jun-seok (56), who has contributed to spreading calligraphy culture by writing family mottos in the style of the Gwanggaeto Stele inscription; Han Hong-su (48), a holder of the National Intangible Cultural Property No. 81, Jindo Dasiraegi; and the disabled theater troupe Haetbitchon (representative Lee Seong-jae), which has conducted outreach disability awareness education.