I hope you are all executing your new year’s plans one by one.

In our second newsletter of the year, I have some happy news to share. Renowned soccer player known as “Eternal Libero”, also the head coach of the Korean Olympic soccer team in London, Hong Myung-bo was awarded the Royal Salute ‘Mark of Respect’ Award on January 7. In the case of Korea, world famous film director Park Chan-wook, conductor Jung Myung-Hoon, actor Ahn Seong-gi, and novelist Hwang Seok-young are some who have received this award in past years. We were especially happy to see Hong Myung-bo receive this award as he is an honorary ambassador for the Asia Journalist Association (AJA) and is currently writing the “Hong Myung-bo Column” for the AsiaN.

Hong Myung-bo has declared that he will donate the entire prize money of 50 million won to youth aspiring to become soccer players. When receiving the award he said, “I would like to lead the way in making the society a warmer place where we all can help one another.” Isn’t that also one of the AsiaN’s missions?

This week’s newsletter is a special edition introducing “Korea Finance Week in the Middle East,” which will be held in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from January 9th to the 15th. The Middle East is looking to work in the finance sector not only with Korea, but ASEAN member states and other Asian countries. The AsiaN is very interested in this phenomenon and plans to follow developments and continue to report in-depth on this topic. We are at an age now in which the exchange and cooperation between East and West Asia cannot be further delayed.

We ask you for your continuous support.

Thank you.

January 9, 2013

Sincerely
Lee Sang-ki, CEO & Publisher of the AsiaN

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