03 January 2014 - Ms. Jeong Eun-sil, the daughter of a Korean father and a Filipina mother, was awarded a citation by the Ministry of Family and Gender Equality (MOGEF) of Korea during the 2nd Korea Multicultural Youth Awards held on December 19 at the Press Center Building in Seoul.

The MOGEF citation is considered the biggest recognition in the event and gave importance to Ms. Jeong’s involvement in various volunteer projects, which included taking care of the elderly in community nursing homes and playing with children from poor families.  She did all this while helping her father take care of the family since her mother was hospitalized for cancer for eight months.

Ms. Jeong was among nine young men and women from multicultural families in Korea who were recognized for their achievements and volunteer work while overcoming the struggles of adjusting to life in Korean society as a member of a multicultural family. 

The Korea Multicultural Awards is hosted and organized by the Korea Times in coordination with the Ministry of Family and Gender Equality, the government agency in-charge of looking after the well-being of multicultural families and marriage migrants in Korea. 

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Luis T. Cruz was invited to participate as one of the judges for both editions of the awards.

“Children from multicultural families here in Korea will eventually play significant roles in the shaping of the future of Korean society.  Opportunities like this will encourage other children to overcome obstacles so that they can eventually realize their dreams,” Ambassador Cruz said. 

Past winners include Little Psy, the Vietnamese-Korean child who appeared in Korean singer Psy’s world-famous music video “Gangnam Style”.  END