Samsung’s Galaxy Android series of smartphones has been selected as the top prize winner of the CICI Korea Image Awards 2014, the institution announced on Monday. The Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) is a non-profit organization that pursues the mission of promoting Korea’s image abroad.

Samsung Galaxy, a series of Android-powered mobile computing devices designed and marketed by Samsung Electronics, has made an enormous contribution toward promoting Korea’s image as an IT powerhouse, CICI said. The series’ product line includes the popular Galaxy S series as well as the Galaxy Note.

Celebrating its 11th year, the CICI Korea Image Awards was founded in 2005 to recognize individuals who have made meaningful contributions to promoting Korea’s image overseas. It previously awarded top prizes to K-pop stars Psy and Rain, the Busan International Film Festival, celebrated conductor Chung Myung-whun and U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. 

France’s Digital Economy Minister Fleur Pellerin has been selected as the winner of the Stepping Stone Bridge Award for her contribution to French-Korean relations. The first cabinet member of Asian descent in the French government, Pellerin was born in Seoul to Korean parents and adopted by a French family at six months of age. She visited Korea for the first time in 2013 and met with President Park Geun-hye.

Celebrated jazz singer Nah Youn-sun has been selected for the Flower Stone award for a successful music career that has been recognized overseas and locally.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held at InterContinental Seoul Coex on Jan. 15, 2014. Flower Stone award winner Nah Youn-sun and the National Dance Company of Korea will perform during the event, according to CICI.

By Claire Lee (dyc@heraldcorp.com)