47 honored at 40th Textile Day ceremony; Choi Jae-rak of Sewang Textile receives top industry medal

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Federation of Textile Industries held the 40th Textile Day ceremony Wednesday at the Textile Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

Textile Day is an annual event commemorating the textile and fashion industry's achievement in 1987 of becoming the first single sector to reach $10 billion in exports. Marking its 40th anniversary this year, the ceremony featured a hanbok fashion show and a media performance.

The government presented awards to 47 people who made distinguished contributions to the industry, while the Korea Federation of Textile Industries presented plaques of appreciation to four recipients of the inaugural Textile Day medal.

Choi Jae-rak, chairman of Sewang Textile, received the Gold Tower Order of Industrial Service Medal in recognition of nearly 40 years in the textile industry, during which he led social contribution activities and championed eco-friendly, high-quality knit fabric manufacturing. Park Jae-yong, president of Youngone, received the Silver Tower Order of Industrial Service Medal for driving the domestic textile industry's shift toward eco-friendly practices and higher value-added production.

Director General Min Woo Lee of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's Industrial Growth Office said the textile and fashion industry is "the root of industries that have driven our economic growth, and a vital sector that determines the competitiveness of advanced industries such as automobiles, defense, aerospace and energy."

Min added that the government would "actively provide support as a partner to open new paths for growth in our textile and fashion industry — including fostering advanced industrial textiles, stabilizing the supply chain by strengthening domestic manufacturing, and expanding the global reach of K-textile and fashion."