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Kyobo Life to foster promising athletes
Kyobo Life Chief Operating Officer Yun Your-hyun, front row right, raise his fist with recipients of the firm's scholarship at the Korea Press Foundation, Dec. 26. Courtesy of Kyobo Life
By Lee Kyung-min
By Lee Kyung-min
Fourteen student athletes were chosen as recipients of a sports scholarship offered by Kyobo Life, Korea's third-largest life insurer said Thursday.
The scholarship, organized by the firm and the KYOBO Foundation for Education, seeks to help talented young people with moral, physical and intellectual development in an education initiative designed to nurture sports leaders in the country.
Two sixth graders from seven sports ― sprint, speed skating, swimming, gymnastics, judo, tennis and table tennis ― will be eligible to receive 12 million won ($10,300) each for the next six years.
Additional grants will be given to them if they win international sports competitions representing Korea over the next six years.
“The students chosen were recognized for excellence not only in their respective field of sports but also in overall moral character, scholastic achievement and growth potential,” a Kyobo official said.
“We will offer continued training and education programs for them to become exemplary figures for not only juniors in sports circles but also as inspirational figures to the public at large. We hope the students will grow to spread positivity and generosity by giving back what they were given.”
The scholarship was launched this year in line with the business philosophy of Kyobo Life founder Shin Yong-ho whose personal conviction about the importance of education has led to various youth support programs.
Chief among them is a sports competition held for the past 35 years, during which time 10.8 billion won in grants were given to over 140,000 students.
The students include two-time Olympic champion speed skater Lee Sang-hwa and Olympic gold medalist and world champion swimmer Park Tae-hwan.