Korea Sports Council President Yu Seung-min received the Medal of Friendship on Thursday, awarded in the name of the Mongolian president.
The Medal of Friendship is presented by the Mongolian president to foreign nationals who have made long-term contributions to the country's development in a specific field. It is one of the highest honors Mongolia bestows on foreigners.
According to the Korea Sports Council, the award recognizes the organization's contributions to Mongolia's sports development and capacity-building through its sports official development assistance program. Yu was nominated by the Mongolian National Olympic Committee and selected as the recipient following a review by the Mongolian government.
The Korea Sports Council has run sports ODA programs targeting Mongolia since 2013, operating initiatives including coaching education, invitation-based training, dispatch of Korean coaches and provision of sports equipment. Building on that support, Mongolian table tennis achieved its first-ever appearance and first victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. At the 2026 World Table Tennis Championships in London, both the men's and women's teams qualified together for the first time in a decade.
"This medal is a deeply meaningful recognition of South Korea's sports community and the Korea Sports Council's efforts in international sports cooperation," Yu said. "We will continue to contribute to the advancement of international sports and the promotion of friendship through our sports ODA programs."
yjc@heraldcorp.com
