Former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik Named Recipient of 14th Mirok Li Award

[Financial News] Former Prime Minister Kim Hwang-sik (Photo) was selected as the recipient of the 14th Mirok Li Award for his contributions to mutual understanding and friendly relations between Korea and Germany.
The Korea-Germany Association said on the 29th that it selected the former prime minister in recognition of his work to expand academic and cultural exchanges and mutual understanding between the two countries, grounded in his knowledge of Germany’s political, social and rule-of-law systems.
Kim served as a Supreme Court justice, chair of the Board of Audit and Inspection, and the country’s 41st prime minister. His ties to Germany began in 1978, when he studied law at the University of Marburg. After leaving office as prime minister, he continued academic exchanges as a visiting professor at the Institute for Korean Studies at Freie Universität Berlin.
Through his writing, he also worked to introduce German society to readers in Korea and to present to German audiences a view of Germany from a Korean perspective. He published in German “I Am Now Going to a Library Called Germany,” drawing on his experiences and insights from living in the country, and analyzed the convictions and experiences of German political leaders in “The Power of Germany, Germany’s Prime Ministers.”
The Mirok Li Award was established in 1999 by the Korea-Germany Association and the Germany-Korea Association to mark the centenary of Dr. Mirok Li’s birth. After taking part in the March First Movement, Dr. Li went into exile in Germany, where he introduced Korean culture and spirit to German society through works including the novel “The Yalu River Flows.” The award honors his legacy and is presented to people who have contributed to cultural exchange and greater mutual understanding between the two countries.
Kim Young-jin, chairman of the Korea-Germany Association, said, “Former Prime Minister Kim has consistently shared with our society the experiences and insights he gained in Germany, contributing to greater understanding between Korea and Germany. In his role as a bridge between the two countries, he embodies the spirit of Dr. Mirok Li.”
The award ceremony will be held alongside an event marking the 70th anniversary of the Korea-Germany Association, scheduled for November 2 at The Ambassador Seoul – A Pullman Hotel. Founded in 1956, the association is a private-sector diplomacy organization whose members include figures from business, the media, academia and politics in both countries. It continues to foster exchanges through initiatives including the Korea-Germany Forum and the administration of the Mirok Li Award.
[email protected] Jung Sang-hee Reporter