Gyeongsangbuk-do held the '65th Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture Awards Ceremony' on the 27th at the multipurpose hall of the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office.
This year's awardees were recognized in five categories: Literature - Kwon Young-ho (Gyeongbuk Branch of the Korean Writers' Association), Sports - Oh Jong-hwan (Badminton Coach at Gimcheon City Hall), Media - Song Ui-ho (Media Arbitration Committee Arbitrator), Culture - Lee Kyu-seop (CEO of Lee Kyu-seop Tax Accounting Office), and Performing Arts - Ryu Je-shin (Senior Vice President of the Gyeongsangbuk-do Branch of the Korean Gugak Association).
(From left) Oh Jong-hwan, Kwon Young-ho, Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk, Lee Gyu-seop, Song Ui-ho, and Ryu Je-shin, Senior Vice Chairman, are posing for a commemorative photo.
The 65th Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture Awards selected five final recipients through a rigorous and fair evaluation by a panel of experts in each field, recognizing their achievements and contributions to regional development.
In the literature category, Kwon Young-ho, head of the Uiseong branch of the Korean Writers' Association, was recognized for his contributions to the development of local literature. Since winning the 1980 Christian Andong Culture contest with his fairy tale "The Flying Ugly Duckling," he founded the Uiseong Literature Society in his hometown, which was a literary desert, and has engaged in creative activities for over 40 years, including publishing "Uiseong Literature," establishing his literary identity and fostering regional literary growth.
In the sports category, Oh Jong-hwan, head of the badminton team at Gimcheon City Hall, joined as a player in 1983 and played for 10 years. Since 1992, he has served as coach and manager, and from 2005 to the present, as the head of the badminton team, contributing to the development of sports in Gyeongsangbuk-do.
In the media category, Song Ui-ho, arbitrator of the Media Arbitration Committee, was selected for his contributions as a reporter for JoongAng Ilbo, covering the Gyeongbuk Provincial Office for 15 years. He helped re-recognize the fact that the Donghak ideology originated in Gyeongju and broke the exclusive story on Queen Elizabeth's birthday celebration in Andong, thereby promoting Gyeongbuk to the world.
In the culture category, tax accountant Lee Kyu-seop was honored for his various activities promoting regional cultural development and community welfare. He has continuously engaged in social contribution activities such as volunteering at meal services, distributing rice with love, and sharing warm briquettes for the underprivileged and marginalized, serving as a role model in society.
In the performing arts category, Ryu Je-shin, senior vice president of the Gyeongsangbuk-do branch of the Korean Gugak Association, was recognized for his contributions to the development of traditional dance. Starting as a founding member of the Gumi branch of the Korean Gugak Association in 2001, he successfully organized national youth gugak competitions and the Gumi Gugak Festival. In 2001, he founded the Korean Traditional Dance Troupe Yeongsanmu and contributed to traditional dance development through various creative activities.
Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongsangbuk-do, stated, "The current cultural landscape of Gyeongbuk exists because of the hard work of the awardees," and added, "This year, especially with the APEC Summit being held, I ask all awardees to do their best in their respective fields so that it can be successfully held as a cultural APEC event."
Meanwhile, the Gyeongsangbuk-do Culture Awards, which began in 1956, have produced 398 recipients over more than half a century. Notable past awardees include Cheongma Yu Chi-hwan (1956, Literature), Hansol Lee Hyo-sang (1958, Meritorious Service), Kim Chun-soo (1988, Literature), and Kim Jip (1988, Sports). To date, the Culture Awards have played a significant role in enhancing the prestige of cultural Gyeongbuk and laying the foundation for the development of regional culture and arts.
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