Yoon Young-dal, CEO of Crown-Haitai Confectionary, has been selected the winner of this year’s Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award, announced Euro Trading Co. on Wednesday.

The foundation recognized Yoon’s contributions to developing and promoting “gugak,” or Korean traditional music, worldwide and his efforts to discover and foster young gugak musicians.

Yoon established RaGeum Orchestra, the first gugak orchestra run by a private company, in 2007. He has also been holding many gugak competitions and festivals in which the nation’s best gugak musicians perform. 

Founded by Montblanc, a global luxury pen and accessory maker, in 1992, the award is given each year to outstanding art patrons who have given their time, energy and money to encourage cultural life to flourish.

Yoon will receive the award at the Shilla Hotel’s Dynasty Hall in central Seoul on July 4.

By Park Min-young (claire@heraldcorp.com)