Choi Jeong-hwa, chairperson of the Korea Image Communication Institute (CICI) and honorary professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, has received the Officier (Officer) rank of the Legion of Honour, the highest award in France for women.
CICI noted that Choi received the Officier rank of the Legion of Honour on the afternoon of the 15th at the residence of the French ambassador in Seodaemun District, Seoul, in recognition of her contributions to enhancing relations and cultural exchange between Korea and France.
The Legion of Honour is the highest award in France, established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, awarded to individuals of any nationality who have made significant contributions in the fields of politics, economics, culture, arts, religion, academia, and sports, or who have contributed to the honor of the nation.
At the award ceremony, Choi will receive the higher rank of Officier in recognition of her contributions to improving Korea-France relations and cultural exchange.
The list of recipients of this year's Legion of Honour was published in the French official gazette last February. Other recipients of the Officier rank include film director James Cameron and Irish politician Simon Coveney.
After graduating from the French department of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, Choi obtained a doctorate in interpretation and translation in 1986 from the Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation at the University of Paris III, becoming the first Asian to do so. She later trained students at the Paris Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation and returned to Korea in 1987, serving for over 30 years as a professor at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies' Graduate School of Interpretation and Translation, and she is currently active as an honorary professor.
Choi was awarded the Palmes Academiques by the French government in 1992 for her contributions to education and received the Danica Seleskovitch Prize in 2000 for her contributions to the field of interpretation and translation, becoming the first Asian to receive this award. In 2003, she was awarded the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, the highest national honor in France for women, recognizing her achievements in the international interpretation and cultural diplomacy sectors.
In particular, she has made great efforts to dynamically enhance relations between Korea and France. Since 2015, she has been serving as the secretary general and a founding member of the Korea-France Club. She also launched the international academic journal "Forum" published in collaboration with the University of Paris-Sorbonne Nouvelle, with support from UNESCO.