Three-time Olympic gold medalist Oh named for CICI award
 

South Korean Olympic fencing gold medalist Oh Sang-uk will receive the annual Korea Image Stepping Stone Award presented by the Corea Image Communication Institute in January next year.

“Oh elevated South Korea’s global profile by winning two gold medals in the men’s individual and team sabre at the 2024 Paris Olympics,” CICI, a nonprofit promoting Korea’s image abroad, said in a statement Sunday.

The Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award went to Korean American chef Edward Lee while the Korea Image Flower Stone Award went to Olympic table tennis bronze medalist Shin Yu-bin.

“On Netflix’s ‘Culinary Class Wars,’ Edward Lee helped promote globally a creative variety of Korean food using Korean ingredients. That showed food could be used to advance philosophy and culture,” CICI said.

Shin represents the potential of South Korean table tennis in the international scene, the statement added, citing her two bronze medals in the mixed doubles and women’s team event at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, CICI said it has instituted the new Homage Award for all the interpreters who help translate Korean literature, a special recognition marking the achievement of author Han Kang -- the first-ever South Korean to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature this year.

The annual awards ceremony, in its 21st year, will take place at the InterContinental Seoul on Jan. 15, 2025. Attendees span from government officials to foreign envoys and business executives.

Previous awards recipients include actor Lee Jung-jae, figure skating champion Kim Yuna, soprano Sumi Jo and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

source :  https://www.koreaherald.com/

Comprehension

Who is receiving the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award next year?
For which achievements is Oh Sang-uk being recognized by CICI?
Who won the Korea Image Stepping Stone Bridge Award, and why?
What is the Korea Image Flower Stone Award, and who received it this year?
What special recognition has CICI added this year, and who does it honor?
Where will the CICI awards ceremony be held?
When is the upcoming CICI awards ceremony scheduled to take place?
Name two previous recipients of CICI awards.

Discussion

Why do you think it’s important for organizations to recognize achievements in sports and culture?
How do you think winning an award like the CICI’s can impact someone’s career?
In what ways can sports victories elevate a country’s global image?
Why might CICI have created an award specifically for translators of Korean literature?
How do you feel about using food as a way to promote culture, as Edward Lee has done?
How might Olympic medals influence young athletes in South Korea?
What qualities do you think make someone a good representative of their country’s image?
How can recognitions in literature, like the Nobel Prize, inspire a country’s people?
What impact do you think awards ceremonies have on global understanding and relations?
Which aspect of South Korean culture would you most want to introduce to the world?

Vocabulary

Elevate - to raise to a higher level or improve status.
Profile - the public image or reputation of a person or organization.
Promote - to support or encourage the popularity or importance of something.
Philosophy - a system of values or principles.
Potential - the ability to grow or develop into something better.
Interpreter - someone who translates spoken or written language for others.
Achievement - something accomplished through effort or skill.
Envoy - a representative or diplomat sent to another country.