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Crown-Haitai CEO gets Montblanc Award

Crown-Haitai Confectionary CEO Yoon Young-dal, right, and Montblanc International CEO Lutz Bethge hold a press conference at the Shilla Hotel's Dynasty Hall in central Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of Montblanc

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By Do Je-hae

Crown-Haitai Confectionary CEO Yoon Young-dal received the Montblanc de la Culture Arts Patronage Award Monday in recognition of his efforts to promote traditional Korean music.

Founded in 1992, the prestigious award presented by the 104-year-old German manufacturer of pens, jewelry and watches is given to 11 patrons of culture and the arts around the world each year.

The awardees receive a pure gold "Patron of Art Edition" Montblanc pen, produced only for the awardees, and 15,000 euros. The award reflects the Montblanc belief that a successful company must give back to society.

Montblanc International CEO Lutz Bethge held a joint press conference with Yoon at a hotel in Seoul, where they both stressed the role of the business sector in promoting the arts.

Yoon is the seventh Korean recipient of the award.

He is the founder of the RaGeum Orchestra, the first "gugak" (Korean music) orchestra run by a private company in 2007. Yoon has also organized gugak competitions and festivals.

He called for more respect and attention to traditional Korean music during the award ceremony.

"Supporting gugak has greatly enriched my life. We will expand our efforts to popularize traditional Korean music", Yoon said.

Yoon will donate the Montblanc prize money to an organization of gugak artists.

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