National fencer Oh Sanguk (left), Korean American chef Edward Lee (middle) and table tennis star Shin Yu-bin are the recipients of this year's Korea Image Awards. (Corea Image Communication Institute)

By Lee Dasom

National fencer Oh Sanguk, Korean American chef Edward Lee and table tennis star Shin Yu-bin are this year's recipients of the Korea Image Awards, the honors' organizer Corea Image Communication Institute (CICI) said on Nov. 11.

To receive the Korea Image Stepping Stone Award, which honors an individual who promotes the nation's image to the world, Oh was the country's first fencer to win gold medals in both the individual and team men's sabre events at this year's Paris Summer Olympics. He gained recognition for elevating Korea's world status and globally promoting the country's fencing.

Lee, the runner-up in the Netflix reality TV series "Culinary Class Wars," received the Korea Image Capstone Award for his role as a bridge promoting Korean culture to the world. CICI said he played "the role of a footbridge to introduce the warmth and depth of Korean culture by using Korean ingredients to showcase creative Hansik (traditional food)."

The Korea Image Flowerstone Award went to Shin for "blooming" the nation's global image. She won bronze medals in the mixed doubles and women's team events.

The awards ceremony on Jan. 15 will be held at the hotel Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. A video to mark Han Kang's historic Nobel Prize in Literature will also express thanks to translators of Korean literature for their contributions.

CICI hosts the annual awards to honor individuals, objects or organizations that promote Korea's image throughout the year.

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