[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Jang Pilhwa, Chairperson of the Korea Women’s Foundation, and Kim Bongok, Chairperson of the National Bioethics Committee, have been selected as this year’s recipients of the 'Samsung Happiness Award' hosted by the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation.
On the 14th, the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation announced the '2021 Samsung Happiness Award' winners. The Samsung Happiness Award recognizes women and organizations who have contributed to the advancement of women's rights, status, and social welfare since 2013, as well as women and organizations who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in specialized fields such as academia and arts, and individuals, families, organizations, and youth who have contributed to practicing or spreading filial piety.
Winners of the '2021 Samsung Happiness Award' selected by the Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation. (Photo by Samsung Life Public Welfare Foundation)
This year’s awardees include Jang Pilhwa (70), Chairperson of the Korea Women’s Foundation, who received the Women’s Leadership Award; Kim Bongok (67), Chairperson of the National Bioethics Committee, who received the Women’s Creativity Award; Kim Ilju (83), who received the Family Harmony Award; and youth awardees Yuh Hyunwoo (14, 2nd year at Dongseong Middle School), Park Hayoung (17, 2nd year at Gwangyang High School), Park Geunnan (19, Busan Youth Support Center Kkumdeulim), Ha Hyejeong (22, 4th year at Daegu University), and Park Donggyu (24, 4th year at Yeungnam University), totaling eight recipients.
Jang Pilhwa, recipient of the Women’s Leadership Award, joined Ewha Womans University’s Women’s Studies Department in 1984 as a professor, Korea’s first women’s studies department, at a time when social awareness of women was lacking. She has nurtured over 500 women scholars and supported the establishment of women’s studies courses in more than 100 universities nationwide, laying the foundation for Korean women’s studies and leading its development for over 30 years. As a women’s studies scholar and social activist, she actively participated in government and women’s movement organizations, served as president of the Korean Association of Women’s Studies, founding president of the Asian Women’s Studies Association, and organizing chairperson of the world’s first Asian Women’s Studies conference, opening new horizons for Asian women’s studies and elevating the international status of Korean women’s studies.
Kim Bongok, recipient of the Women’s Creativity Award, is a first-generation rehabilitation medicine specialist in Korea and former president of the Korean Academy of Rehabilitation Medicine. She pioneered and led domestic rehabilitation medicine by proposing the 'primary care physician for the disabled' to provide stable medical services to severely disabled patients and the establishment of 'regional rehabilitation hospitals' specialized in rehabilitation nationwide. In 2013, she became the first female director of a national university hospital as director of Chungnam National University Hospital, and in 2018, served as director of the Korea Workers’ Compensation & Welfare Service Daegu Hospital, contributing to overcoming the MERS and COVID-19 crises.
Kim Ilju, recipient of the Family Harmony Award, has devotedly cared for his mother, who lives alone in Ulleung County, Gyeongbuk Province, for 46 years, and she is now 104 years old. Despite being 83 years old himself, he supports his mother in daily activities such as walking exercises, conversations, three meals a day, and massages, according to the foundation. The youth awardees were highly praised for their efforts to care for their mothers under difficult circumstances while achieving excellent academic results or striving toward their dreams.
The award ceremony will be held on the 8th of next month, where recipients will be presented with plaques and prize money of 50 million KRW each (5 million KRW each for youth awards). Following the ceremony, a commemorative lecture will be held. The foundation explained that the awardees were finalized through a rigorous three-month evaluation process, including verification of achievements and on-site inspections by a judging committee composed of distinguished scholars and experts in each field, based on candidates recommended by major domestic institutions and professionals.
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