The late Cho Seok-rae, Honorary Chairman of Hyosung, receives the Korea-US Friendship Award... Civil Diplomacy Achievement

Hyosung announced on the 9th that the late Cho Seok-rae, honorary chairman of Hyosung Group, received the 24th Korea-US Friendship Award for his contribution to promoting Korea-US economic cooperation and friendship.

Hyosung Chairman Cho Hyun-joon received this award on behalf of his father at the 'Korea-US Friendship Award Ceremony and Korea-US Friendship Night' event held at the Walkerhill Hotel in Seoul on the 6th.

About 300 people from both countries, including U.S. Ambassador to Korea Michelle Steel and members of the Korea-U.S. Association, attended the event.

Honorary Chairman Cho has worked to expand economic cooperation between the two countries by leading domestic and international economic exchange organizations such as the Federation of Korean Industries and the Korea-U.S. Business Council.

In 2002, he served as the international president of the Pacific Economic Council (PBEC), contributing to the expansion of Korea's private diplomacy activities and international networks in the global economic community.

In particular, as chairman of the Korean side of the Korea-US Business Conference in 2000, he became the first domestic businessman to publicly discuss the need for a Korea-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and laid the foundation for negotiations by leading joint research between the two countries' business communities.

Afterwards, he played a role in the process of starting formal negotiations in 2006, including meeting with the governments, congresses, and business officials of both countries to persuade them of the necessity of the Korea-U.S. FTA.

Even after the Korea-US FTA negotiations were concluded in 2007, he continued his private-level activities to put the agreement into effect, such as by visiting Washington in person and urging members of the US Congress to ratify it.

We also carried out diplomatic activities with the U.S. government and Congress to join the visa waiver program.

He contributed to Korea's joining the U.S. Visa Waiver Program (VWP) in 2008 by sending a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State requesting Korea's participation in the Visa Waiver Program and establishing a visa subcommittee within the Korea-U.S. Business Council.

In recognition of his international leadership and contributions, Honorary Chairman Cho was awarded the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Merit in 1987, the Korea-US FTA 10th Anniversary Achievement Award, and the Youngsan Diplomat Award.

Chairman Cho Hyun-joon said, "I am thrilled to think that the 'ROK-U.S. alliance where we understand each other and grow together', which my father had hoped for his entire life, is becoming a reality today," and added, "I will take my father's wishes to heart and do my best to ensure that the ROK-U.S. alliance continues even more firmly into future generations."

The Korea-US Friendship Award is an award given by the Korea-US Association to individuals who have contributed to promoting friendship and strengthening ties between the two countries, and was established in 2002.

Past recipients include former Yonsei University President Horace Underwood, General Paik Sun-yup, former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and Hyundai Development Company honorary chairman Chung Se-young.