The Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry was selected as the winner of the 2020 James A. Van Fleet Award in recognition of its contribution to strengthening Korea-US relations, the KCCI said Monday. It is the first time that a business organization has received the award.

The Van Fleet Award is an award given by the Korea Society, a Korea-US nonprofit foundation for friendship, to individuals or organizations that have worked to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two countries since 1992.

The award is named after Gen. James Van Fleet, who served as commander of the 8th US Army during the Korean War and contributed to the promotion of Korea-US relations after the war.

Previous winners include three US Presidents, Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush, Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee, former Korean President Kim Dae-jung and former Doosan Chairman Park Yong-maan.

The KCCI said it has been striving to strengthen economic cooperation between South Korea and the US as a private channel. It organized a business delegation during Moon Jae-in’s visit to the US in June 2017. It also hosted a meeting between White House officials and Korean companies during Donald Trump’s visit to Korea in November that year.

The award ceremony will be held at the Korea Society’s annual dinner on Sept. 24 at the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, New York. The KCCI will be awarded along with the Korean War Veterans Association, a US winner. 

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)