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| ▲ President Yoon Suk Yeol (L) confers the Peony Medal of the Order of Civil Merit on Yoo Eui-bae, a Spanish priest known for his dedication to helping lepers, at the presidential office in Seoul on Feb. 16, 2023. (Yonhap) |
(LEAD) Yoon-awards
(LEAD) Yoon confers awards on 19 meritorious people
(ATTN: UPDATES with remarks)
SEOUL, Feb. 16 (Yonhap) -- President Yoon Suk Yeol conferred state awards on 19 meritorious people Thursday, including a Spanish priest known for his dedication to helping lepers.
The 19 people, including two married couples, were chosen from among 620 recommendations made by the public between July 2021 and June 2022, the presidential office said.
It is the 12th year the government has conferred state awards based on recommendations from the public.
Yoon conferred the awards during a ceremony at the presidential office, including four orders of civil merit and six presidential citations.
"Our society does not run on laws and institutions alone," he said during a luncheon held after the ceremony, according to presidential spokesperson Lee Do-woon. "Your sacrifice, dedication and service have developed our society thus far."
The recipients included a Spanish Catholic priest, known by his Korean name Yoo Eui-bae, in recognition of his dedication to helping lepers and seriously disabled people in the southeastern county of Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province, over 42 years.
Yoo received the Peony Medal of the Order of Civil Merit.
"I showed kindness because the Lord led me into their midst, and that turned into a sweet taste for my body and soul," he was quoted as saying.
Son Jae-han, another recipient of the same medal, was recognized for contributing to the promotion of science education by donating more than 70 billion won (US$54.7 million) worth of his assets to establish a scholarship program and provide scholarships.
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