Awards Ceremony on the 4th, Attended by Park Hyung-jun, Mayor of Busan, and Other Key Figures from Various Sectors
Choi Geum-sik, Chairman of Seonbo Industrial (left), and Ryu Gwang-ji, Chairman of Geumyang, were selected for the 13th Dongmyeong Awards (Industry category).
[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] The 13th Dongmyeong Award in the industrial sector, a prestigious public service award in Busan given to individuals who practice challenge, creativity, and volunteerism, has been awarded to Choi Geum-sik, chairman of Sunbo Industrial, and Ryu Gwang-ji, chairman of Geumyang.
The prize money is 10 million won each, and the award ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on the 4th at the 2nd-floor hall of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, attended by key figures including Park Hyung-joon, mayor of Busan.
Choi Geum-sik, chairman of Sunbo Industrial, has worked for 36 years since 1986 and established and grew six corporations: Sunbo Industrial, Sunbo Unitec, Sunbo Hightech, Sunbo Peace, Sunbo Angel Partners, and Lighthouse Combine Invest.
He also ventured into land and marine plant businesses and entered various future business fields such as LNG fuel gas supply, leading the development of regional industries.
He has received awards including the Busan Industry Award, the Order of Industrial Service Merit (Dongtap), the National Productivity Award, Excellent Employment Company, World Class 300, Busan Culture Award, Korea Maritime Award, and the World Vision 70th Anniversary Speaker of the National Assembly Award.
Following the selection as the first family-friendly company by the Ministry of Health and Welfare among small and medium enterprises in 2008, he was selected as a childbirth encouragement company by Busan City in 2009 and received the Family Love Award (Minister of Gender Equality and Family Award) in 2016, known as a family-friendly company.
Chairman Choi has also continued volunteer activities caring for socially vulnerable groups, such as making side dishes for love, sharing briquettes, sponsoring child abuse prevention, volunteering for free meals, donating medical supplies, and providing daily necessities to patients without relatives. The Sunjae Scholarship Foundation has been fostering local talents by providing scholarships to educationally disadvantaged groups.
In 2013, he established the non-profit public interest corporation 'Sunbo Lighthouse' and supports overseas education projects in impoverished countries annually. Chairman Choi is active as the chairman of Busan's Fruit of Love.
Another recipient of this year's Dongmyeong Award, Ryu Gwang-ji, chairman of Geumyang, has led Geumyang for 67 years since its founding in November 1955, growing it into a global company.
He greatly contributed to the growth of Busan's footwear industry by domesticating the first foaming agent in Korea. As a specialized foaming agent company supplying global companies such as Nike and Adidas, Geumyang has launched eco-friendly foaming agents and has risen as a representative footwear material company in Busan.
With state-of-the-art equipment at the headquarters' technology research center, Geumyang hires local research talents annually and has established research and production bases centered in Busan.
He also pioneered future new industries such as secondary battery material business and hydrogen fuel cell material business. He supports government policies such as 'carbon neutrality' and 'realization of a global clean energy technology powerhouse.'
Based on trust and respect between labor and management, he has achieved a win-win labor-management relationship by agreeing to wage increases without negotiations for 20 consecutive years.
He is leading the strengthening of industry-academia cooperation and the establishment of a regional win-win corporate culture by opening Geumyang as the 5th branch center of the Busan Regional Industry-Academia Cooperation Center and promoting industry-academia cooperation with local universities.
Chairman Ryu also supports the Youth Righting Support Center Social Cooperative.
He has received awards such as the 1987 Trade Day 10 Million Dollar Export Tower (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy), 2002 Model Taxpayer Award (National Tax Service), 2014 Busan Small and Medium Businessman Award (Busan City), 2015 Iron Tower Industrial Medal (Diligent Taxpayer, Ministry of the Interior and Safety), 2015 Busan Export Excellence Award (Busan City), 2016 World Class 300 selection, 2019 World-Class Product and Production Company selection (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy), and 2020 Commissioner of Customs Service Commendation (Customs Service).
The Dongmyeong Award is Busan's representative public service award given to individuals who have built achievements by emulating the spirit of challenge, creativity, and volunteerism of the late Kang Seok-jin, former chairman of the old Dongmyeong Lumber, who led exports and economic development in the industrialization era. It was jointly established in 2008 by Busan City and various sectors including industry, academia, research, government, and politics.
The late Chairman Kang Seok-jin was one of the pioneering figures who contributed to Korea's economic growth. He served as chairman of BBS, chairman of the Busan Rehabilitation Protection Association, president of the Palgakhoe, founder of the Busan Port Wharf Management Association, and chairman of the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
The 13th Dongmyeong Award is sponsored by the Busan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Busan Ilbo, Kookje Shinmun, KBS Busan Broadcasting Headquarters, Busan MBC, KNN, and BNK Busan Bank.
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