Foreign Language Newspapers Association celebrates decade of partnership

The Foreign Language Newspapers Association of Korea celebrated its 10th anniversary Wednesday at the Korea Press Center in Seoul, bringing together leading politicians, diplomats, government officials and business representatives to recognize their achievements in bridging Korea with global audiences.

The association, established in 2015, comprises The Korea Herald, The Korea Times, The Korea JoongAng Daily and Chinese-language Aju Daily. Together, these outlets reach approximately 1.5 billion English speakers and 1.4 billion Chinese speakers worldwide through print, online platforms and social media.

"Our role doesn't end with conveying information — we must create connections and build bridges of culture and context," said Choi Jin-young, the association's chairman and CEO of Herald Media Group, which publishes The Korea Herald. "Our duty is to make Korea's voice heard across the world and bring the world's eyes onto Korea."

Choi emphasized the press's evolving responsibilities in an era marked by complex global challenges, from ethical concerns surrounding artificial intelligence to ongoing geopolitical tensions.

The event drew high-profile political figures, including acting Democratic Party of Korea leader and Floor Leader Rep. Kim Byung-kee, People Power Party's interim chair and Floor Leader Rep. Song Eon-seog and Reform Party acting leader Rep. Chun Ha-ram. Lee Kyu-youn, senior secretary for public relations at the presidential office, was also present.

In a video message, National Assembly Speaker Woo Won-shik called the association's member newspapers "a powerful medium narrowing the distance between nations" and vital channels for promoting Korean culture globally.

Rep. Kim Byung-kee stressed the critical need for quality journalism in the information age. "In this era of information overload, the role of media with expertise and a sense of mission is more important than ever," he said.

Rep. Song Eon-seog highlighted the strategic importance of foreign language media. "In this age of information warfare where speed often eclipses truth, ensuring Korea's voice is communicated clearly and accurately on the world stage has never been more critical," he said.

Rep. Chun Ha-ram shared a personal anecdote about relying on foreign language newspapers during his early television appearances, particularly when searching for English translations of Korean political terms.

Lee Kyu-youn praised the association's decade-long work in presenting Korean society's issues to global audiences. "Thanks to your professionalism and sense of mission in delivering our society's diverse voices in a balanced way, Korea's national standing has been elevated," he said.

Rep. Kim Kyo-heung, chairman of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee, who could not attend, sent written congratulatory remarks praising the association's contributions.

The diplomatic community turned out in force, with ambassadors and representatives from around 28 countries attending the ceremony. The delegation included Moroccan Ambassador to Korea Chafik Rachadi, who serves as dean of the diplomatic corps. Also in attendance were (in alphabetial order of countries): Brazilian Ambassador to Korea Marcia Donner Abreu; Chilean Ambassador to Korea Mathias Francke Schnarbach; Chinese Ambassador to Korea Dai Bing; Georgian Ambassador to Korea Tarash Papaskua; Peruvian Ambassador to Korea Paul Fernando Duclos Parodi; Honduran Ambassador to Korea Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle; Kazakh Ambassador to Korea Nurgali Arystanov; Thai Ambassador to Korea Tanee Sangrat; Qatari Ambassador to Korea Khalid Ebrahim Al-Hamar; Serbian Ambassador to Korea Nemanja Grbic; and Charge d'Affaires of the Philippines Edwin Gil Mendoza.

In his speech, Moroccan Ambassador Rachadi drew parallels between Morocco's media landscape and Korea's role in global communications.

"Just as Morocco stands at the geopolitical crossroads between Africa and Europe, the Foreign Language Newspapers Association stands as the conduit between Korea and the world," he said.

Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing also delivered congratulatory remarks on behalf of the Chinese-speaking community.

"We stand ready to support deeper exchanges between Chinese and Korean journalists," he said. "We welcome Korean reporters to visit China — whether to conduct interviews, attend events or simply explore."

James Kim, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea, stressed the practical impact of the organization's work on global commerce.

"Many American companies and their CEOs rely on your work to understand the Korean market and navigate it properly," he said. "In fact, they use your information to relay to their headquarters."

The association honored five journalists and members with Chairman's Awards during the ceremony. The Korea Herald's Ji Da-gyum received recognition for her foreign affairs expertise, while The Korea Times' Im Mi-young and Shin Jin-young were praised for organizing forums that promoted Korean content globally. Yim Seung-hye from The Korea JoongAng Daily was honored for her K-entertainment coverage and contribution to newsroom innovation. Aju Daily's Lee Ah-hyun was recognized for making Korean economic policies accessible to Chinese readers.

Each award winner received a plaque, cash, and wine, which was gifted by Chilean Ambassador to Korea Mathias Francke Schnarbach.

The association also announced that four journalists would receive the Seoul Mayor's Award for promoting the capital city globally: Kim Jae-heun from The Korea Herald, Park Han-sol from The Korea Times, Yoon So-yeon from The Korea JoongAng Daily, and Jin Se-na from Aju Daily.

Kim Chang-beom, vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, offered the closing toast with wit: "May their headlines be always impactful, their storylines more compelling and their deadlines hopefully manageable."