Diplomats, politicians praise foreign-language media for offering insight and bringing global perspectives to Korea

From left, Political Deputy Mayor of Seoul Park Chan-koo, Korea JoongAng Daily Editorial Director Choi Ji-young, The Korea Times CEO Oh Young-jin, Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea President Yang Kyu-hyun, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing, Reform Party Floor Leader Rep. Cheon Ha-ram, Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young and AMCHAM Korea Chairman James Kim pose for a photo during a ceremony marking the association's 11th anniversary at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on Thursday. (Yoon Chang-bin/The Korea Herald)
From left, Political Deputy Mayor of Seoul Park Chan-koo, Korea JoongAng Daily Editorial Director Choi Ji-young, The Korea Times CEO Oh Young-jin, Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea President Yang Kyu-hyun, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing, Reform Party Floor Leader Rep. Cheon Ha-ram, Herald Media Group CEO Choi Jin-young and AMCHAM Korea Chairman James Kim pose for a photo during a ceremony marking the association's 11th anniversary at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on Thursday. (Yoon Chang-bin/The Korea Herald)

The Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea celebrated its 11th anniversary Thursday at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, where leading figures from politics and business gathered to underline the importance of foreign-language media in the modern era.

The FNA, established in 2015, comprises four foreign-language outlets in Korea: The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, The Korea JoongAng Daily and Chinese-language Aju Daily.

FNA President Yang Kyu-hyun, also CEO of Aju Daily, said, "If you go alone, you can go fast, but if you go together, you can go farther."

Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing called foreign-language newspapers "a bridge across borders connecting the local community with the world." The American Chamber of Commerce in Korea Chairman James Kim thanked them for "informing and broadening the perspectives" of foreign nationals.

Reform Party Floor Leader Cheon Ha-ram said the outlets connect Korea to the world while helping Koreans view domestic issues with a global lens. Seoul Political Deputy Mayor Park Chan-koo said they convey Korea abroad based on a deep understanding of the country.

This year's event honored five journalists and members with Chairman's Awards. They are Herald Media Group's Cho Ju-young, The Korea Times' Nam Yoon-jae and Han Seung-min, Korea JoongAng Daily's Jim Bulley and Aju Daily's Lee Jae-hyeon.


shwang9@heraldcorp.com