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The CICI Korea Image Awards

Actor Ahn Sung-ki gives his heartfelt words of encouragement to Lee(right) at the Korea Image Awards ceremony (photo courtesy of the Corea Image Communication Institute).

Jasmine Lee received the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award at the Corea Image Communication Institute's (CICI) award ceremony in the Grand Inter Continental Seoul on January 17. CICI awarded its grand prize to the bid committee in recognition of its ceaseless spirit in successfully winning the bid to host the sporting event in Pyeongchang and its help in enhancing Korea's brand image overseas.

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The CICI Korea Image Awards, in their eighth year, also awarded Jasmine Lee, who appeared in last year's hit Korean film "Punch" (Wandeugi), the Korea Image Millstone Award. A naturalized Korean of Philippine descent, Lee has been an active member of Korea's multicultural society, serving as the secretary general of Waterdrop, a charity she formed with other foreign spouses of Koreans to help migrant women in need. At the ceremony, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and veteran actor Ahn Sung-ki gave his heartfelt words of encouragement to Lee for her role in extending a warm helping hand.

That day, the Korean popular animation character Pororo from Pororo the Little Penguin became the recipient of the Korea Image Sprout Award, an award normally given to young contributors under the age of 20. The beloved animated character has been exported to over 120 countries, creating a sensation among children across the globe.

Nearly 800 leading figures attended the awards ceremony, including Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Choe Kwang-sik and former Prime Minister Han Seung-soo.

Participants and award recipients pose for a group photo at the CICI Korea Image Awards 2012 (photo courtesy of the Corea Image Communication Institute).

The CICI has been at the forefront of promoting Korea and facilitating international understanding of Korea in all sectors as a non-profit organization registered under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2003. The organization has brought together opinion leaders currently active in political, business, cultural, and academic fields from both home and abroad to map out better ways to portray the nation where traditional and state-of-the-art elements coexist.

As part of such an endeavor, the CICI has hosted the CICI Korea Image Awards annually since 2005 to recognize contributors to the brand image of Korea. Among the previous award winners include UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, Maestro Chung Myung-whun, and actor-singer Rain.

The organization has been active in promoting diverse aspects of Korean culture to the international community by hosting promotional events. Last year, the CICI organized the Culture Communication Forum 2011, designed to create a dialogue between cultural leaders and Korean culture, inviting 15 leading cultural figures. For more information, please visit the official website at: http://cici.g3.cc/renew/english (Korean and English).

By Hwang Dana
Korea.net Staff Writer

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