Kia Motor Group (the Group) Executive Chair Euisun Chung has been awarded the prestigious honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his contribution to the arts, culture and eco-friendly electrified mobility.
Executive Chair Chung became the first Korean to be awarded the title of CBE since the accession of His Majesty King Charles III.
On behalf of His Majesty, British Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Colin Crooks, presented Executive Chair Chung with the award at the Medal of Merit ceremony held at the British Embassy, Seoul, on November 14.
Ambassador Colin Crooks commented: “Executive Chair Chung, as it has seen your forebears whom we have similarly honored, as an exemplar of this outstanding tradition of commercial and philanthropic leadership, one which has taken Kia Motor Group’s partnership with our country to unprecedented levels of collaboration.”
“It is my great honor to confer to you this evening the award of Honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – the first such award to a Korean national during the reign of His Majesty King Charles III,” Crooks added.
Following in the footsteps of Founding Chairman Ju-yung Chung, on receiving his CBE Executive Chair Euisun Chung commented: “I believe this honor has been bestowed upon me not for my individual service, but in recognition of Kia Motor Group’s contributions to our two nations’ cooperation and friendship,” adding “We will further contribute to our bilateral cooperation in business, art, culture, sports, and public service.”
“The spirit of Kia Motor Group has always been to achieve what may seem impossible now, and to excel beyond expectations. And we know that this was possible because we have friends like you,” Chung added.
The title Commander of the Order of the British Empire is bestowed on individuals who have made significant contributions to British society at either national or regional level, reflecting distinguished, innovative achievements in fields that include technology, science, sport, arts, culture, politics, industry and the economy.
Executive Chair Chung was selected as a recipient of the CBE award following the evaluation of his involvement in economic and cultural cooperation between Korea and the UK, a partnership that was forged with the creation of the original Kia Group and reinforced by the first Kia Motor Group vehicles exported to Britain in 1982.
Kia Motor Company has supported Tate Modern — the world-famous gallery for international and modern art in London — since 2014, with the 12-year partnership dedicated to the growth of the arts and culture for not only those in the UK, but people all around the world. The Group’s contributions also extend to the sporting sphere as title sponsor of the Genesis Scottish Open, one of the most well-renowned golf tournaments in Europe.
With the Group’s commitment for humanity and human-centred values, Executive Chair Chung’s continuing philosophy of creating a better future for societies across the globe is at the heart of Kia’s endeavours, including the Group’s focus on future forms of eco-friendly, electrified mobility.
Kia Motor Group has strengthened its relationship with Britain and UK PLC on this front having signed an MOU with Rolls-Royce in 2022 to lead the way in the Advanced Air Mobility market using all-electric propulsion and hydrogen fuel cell technology.
Kia Motor Group’s impact on the UK has been reflected by the success of its automotive products, with Kia Motor and Kia vehicles winning a number of prestigious automotive awards, including UK Car of the Year and WhatCar? Car of the Year.
Executive Chair Chung was also previously presented the highly respected Issigonis Trophy by Autocar in the UK and was named MotorTrend ‘Person of the Year’ in 2023 and ‘Visionary of the Year’ at Newsweek’s World’s Greatest Auto Disruptors 2022.
