South Chungcheong Province takes top honor for rose of Sharon

South Chungcheong Province said Thursday that it won the president's award, the top honor, at a nationwide competition for potted rose of Sharon, the national flower. The Korea Forest Service organized the competition.

The Korea Forest Service holds the competition every year to promote the beauty and value of the rose of Sharon. It evaluates entries submitted from across the country based on craftsmanship, aesthetics and representativeness, and honors the best among them.

The province was recognized for its systematic cultivation and management efforts and for improving quality to grow superior rose of Sharon plants.

The province's efforts included setting up an advisory panel on rose of Sharon cultivation and management. It also provided hands-on training for officials and staff in charge of cultivation management in cities and counties. The province further improved the quality of entries through its own in-house rose of Sharon competition.

"Winning the president's award is a meaningful achievement that shows our province's rose of Sharon management capabilities have been recognized nationwide," said Kim Young-myung, head of the province's Climate and Environment Forestry Bureau. "It carries even greater significance because South Chungcheong Province, which places great importance on the spirit of loyalty, filial piety and courtesy, won the president's award for the national flower."