Hanjin Group Chairman Cho Yang-ho has received the Legion d’Honneur Grand Officier medal, the highest decoration in France, for his contribution to boosting bilateral economic exchanges between South Korea and France. The chairman is the second South Korean to receive the medal after his late father Cho Choong-hun.
French President Francois Hollande, who visited Seoul for a summit with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, personally conferred the medal on Chairman Cho on November 4 at a Seoul hotel.
The French government judged that chairman Cho contributed considerably to spurring on S. Korea-France economic exchanges, serving as Korean chairman of the Korea-France High Level Businessmen’s Club (a private-sector window for S. Korea-France cooperation) since 2000.
“We’ve decided t o honor chairman Cho with the Legion d’Honneur Grand Officier medal to express our gratitude for his efforts to strengthen 9bKorea-France economic ties. I think we are lucky to have chairman Cho as our friend,” said French President Francois Hollande.
“I believe that this medal crowns what I’ve done so far to improve Korea-France relations and cultural exchanges, following in the footsteps of my father,” Cho mentioned.
Established in 1802 by Napoleon Bonaparte, the Legion d’Honneur medal is the highest decoration in France awarded to people leading an honorable life.
In 2004, chairman Cho received the Legion d’Honneur Commandeur for his contribution to revitalizing Korea- France economic exchanges. The Légion d'Honneur is divided into five degrees: Chevalier, Officier, Commandeur, Grand Officier and Grand Croix.
