'US Global Citizen Award' CJ Lee Mi-kyung: "Culture Has the Power to Build Bridges of Consideration, Hope, and Empathy"

Atlantic Council Global Citizen Award Winner

Lee Mi-kyung, Vice Chairman of CJ Group, received the World Citizen Award from the American think tank Atlantic Council in New York on the 23rd (local time).

In her acceptance speech, Vice Chairman Lee stated, "Although culture may not have the power to end wars, it has the power to build bridges of care, hope, and empathy for humanity."

She said, "Films like Parasite have sparked conversations about the important issue of inequality not only in Korea but around the world," adding, "From K-pop to K-dramas, K-culture is breaking down cultural barriers worldwide and showing that joy, laughter, and love are universal."

Vice Chairman Lee also shared the process of starting her cultural business.

She said, "My predecessor, Chairman Lee Byung-chul, always said, 'Without culture, there is no country,'" and added, "Culture is like oxygen; we usually take its existence for granted, but we can never live without it." She continued, "Until the 1990s, Korea was strongly influenced by Western content and culture, and CJ was a company focused on the food business. However, my younger brother, Chairman Lee Jae-hyun, and I agreed, 'Until now, we have pleased people's taste buds; from now on, let's please their eyes and ears as well.'"

Vice Chairman Lee also emphasized, "What we created is not simply content, but a connection shared with many people," and said, "Culture brings together people from diverse backgrounds in one place and provides a space to enjoy beautiful things together."

The World Citizen Award is given to individuals who have addressed global challenges and contributed to the values of freedom, peace, and prosperity, embodying global citizenship. Among past recipients, Vice Chairman Lee is the first Asian female entrepreneur to receive the award. She was highly praised for her dedication to growing the Korean cultural industry, which laid the foundation for the global K-culture wave, elevating the value of the cultural industries including film, drama, and music, and for her efforts toward the industrialization and globalization of Korean culture.

Last year, recipients included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and Victor Chu, Chairman of Hong Kong investment firm First Eastern Investment Group.