Gangnam-gu presents its 35th Citizen Award to 8 individuals and 3 organizations across 11 categories, recognizing unsung contributors in service, philanthropy, business and youth development
Seoul's Gangnam-gu recognized residents and organizations that have led efforts to advance the local community and practice neighborly care.
The district held the 35th Gangnam-gu Citizen Award ceremony at COEX on Thursday, presenting plaques and medals to eight individuals and three organizations.
This year's awards spanned 11 categories, including the Grand Citizen Award, the Courageous Citizen Award, the Model Family Award, the Future Talent Award, the Service Award, the Model Entrepreneur Award, the Beautiful Donation Award and the Peace and Security Award. Recipients were selected for contributions across a wide range of fields, from community service and the spread of a culture of sharing to youth development and local economic vitalization.
The top honor, the Grand Citizen Award, went to Park Jo-yeon, chairperson of the Gangnam-gu Saemaul Women's Association. Park was recognized for sustained volunteer work on behalf of vulnerable groups — including kimchi-making drives, side-dish sharing programs and elderly care — as well as leadership in environmental cleanup and resource recycling campaigns that have helped foster a culture of giving in the community.
The Courageous Citizen Award went to Ban Hyeong-geun, who spent 11 years guiding 36 at-risk youths and conducting crime-prevention activities. The Model Family Award went to Lee Sang-deok, recognized for 40 years of devoted care for a mother-in-law and contributions to building a harmonious family culture.
The Future Talent Award was presented in two categories: Kim In-jun (youth division) for work on AI and metaverse technology development and support for developers, and Yoo Seung-hyeon (young adult division) for engineering research applying AI and structural analysis to the safe demolition of structures.
In the Service Award category, Yoon Deok-su received the individual prize for ongoing work supporting people with disabilities, caring for vulnerable groups and promoting environmental conservation. Grand Korea Leisure Co. took the organizational prize for social contribution activities in community welfare, environmental and safety fields.
The Model Entrepreneur Award went to Lee Hoon and Sealy Korea Company Ltd. for contributions to the local economy through diligent tax compliance and sound business management. The Beautiful Donation Award went to the Posco 1% Sharing Foundation for employee-driven donation programs supporting people with disabilities and vulnerable groups. The Peace and Security Award went to Gu Bon-uk for efforts to support national merit holders and raise public awareness of security issues.
Gangnam-gu District Mayor Kim Hyeon-gi said the recipients, who "look after their neighbors and dedicate themselves to the community from their own positions, are the most precious driving force behind Gangnam." Kim added that the district would work to ensure "the warm actions of each resident lead to greater change, and to build a Gangnam where sharing and consideration become part of everyday life."
seouldream01@heraldcorp.com
