Park Jong-beom, Chairman of World-OKTA (left), and his wife, CEO Song Hyo-sook (center), pose for a commemorative photo. <Photo> NKANews, Euro Journal

Song Hyo-sook, Chairperson of the Korean Cultural Center in Austria and CEO of WCN (World Culture Networks), has been awarded the Golden Decoration of Honour by the Austrian Federal Government.

At the conferral ceremony held on March 28th at the Alois Mocking Hall within the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs in Vienna, CEO Song was recognized for her contributions to the development of Austrian music and culture and received the Golden Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria (Goldenes Ehrenzeichens für Verdienste um die Republik Österreich) from Regina Röß, Director-General for International Cultural Relations of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs.

Notably, CEO Song's husband, Park Jong-beom, Chairman of Youngsan Group and World-OKTA, also received the same honour in 2013, making it an exceptionally rare case for a married couple to both receive Austria's highest decoration.

Since establishing World Culture Networks (WCN) in Vienna in 2011, CEO Song Hyo-sook has contributed significantly to the development of Austrian music through various cultural initiatives, including being a sponsor of the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Academy, the Korean performance agency for the Vienna Philharmonic, co-hosting the Helmut Deutsch Austrian Lied Competition with the Vienna State Opera and the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, the official Korean partner of the Salzburg Festival, and fostering young Korean vocalists through scholarships at the Vienna State Opera.

Furthermore, as Director of the Korean Cultural Center in Vienna and Director of the Vienna Korean Children's Choir, she has also promoted Korean-Austrian cultural exchange by serving as the Korean performance agency and official music camp partner of the Vienna Boys' Choir and the official Korean partner for Steinway and concerts by winners of the Chopin Competition.

In addition, she has engaged in activities encompassing both culture and arts and social contribution, such as fundraising for the Vienna Museum of Art History and the Leopold Museum, and organizing charity concerts to raise funds for Austrian nursing homes and refugees.

Former Austrian President Heinz Fischer, who serves as Co-Chairman of the Ban Ki-moon Centre in Vienna alongside former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, delivered a congratulatory address, emphasizing, "We highly appreciate CEO Song Hyo-sook's contributions to music, art, and charitable activities, and this award holds special significance."

In her acceptance speech, CEO Song stated, "Having spent half of my life in Austria, I have grown up with my family and formed lifelong relationships. I am honoured to receive this decoration and will continue to cherish my connection with Austria and strive to contribute further."

The conferral ceremony was attended by prominent Austrian figures, including former President Heinz Fischer and his wife, Secretary-General of the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs Nikolaus Marschik, Director-General for International Cultural Relations Regina Röß, President of the Austrian-Korean Friendship Society Christine Marek, Rector of the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna Ulrike Sych, and former Austrian Ambassador to South Korea Michael Schwarzinger.

From the Korean side, attendees included the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Austria Ham Sang-wook, Chairman of Youngsan Group Park Jong-beom, President of the Federation of Korean Associations in Austria Lee Deok-ho, President of the Korean Nurses Association in Austria Chun Young-sook, and Chairperson of the Korean Cultural Center in Vienna Jeon Mi-ja, among other key figures, who came to offer their congratulations.

WCN (World Culture Networks), led by CEO Song, is a cultural planning company under the Austrian Youngsan Group. Based in Vienna, it supports musicians from around the world to perform on international stages. It also plays a diplomatic bridging role through cultural exchange between countries and takes the lead in social contribution through music.   

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