Urim Books CEO to lead CBA Korea Organization
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CBA President Curtis Riskey, right, commemorates Noh Kyung-tae's new position as the director of CBA Korea during UNITE 2017, CBA's international convention, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Thursday. / Courtesy of Urim Books
Leading Korean publishing executive Noh Kyung-tae, CEO of Urim Books, was named the new director of CBA Korea. CBA President Curtis Riskey commemorated his new position during UNITE 2017, CBA’s international convention, in Cincinnati, Ohio, June 29.
The position has been vacant since 2014, and Noh recognized the need for leadership among Christian publishing and retailing communities in Korea.
“I want to strengthen the impact of Christian resources in Korea and around the world,” Noh said.
South Korea has a strong and vibrant Christian community. About a third of the nation is Christian, primarily Protestant denominations, with no dominant religion in the religiously pluralistic nation. Korea is the world’s second-largest missionary-sending nation, just next to the U.S.
One of Noh’s goals for CBA Korea is to help build healthy Christian media organizations to ensure continued distribution of Christian literature and resources in Korea and around the world.
Meetings at UNITE 2017 included discussion of a cooperative biannual conference in South Korea for training, international networking, and heightened awareness of Christian literature and content providers.
“Unity strengthens the power of organizations, and I see tremendous opportunity to advance the Gospel through cooperation among Christian organizations and associations,” Noh said.
Riskey said CBA is honored to come alongside such a visionary leader as Noh. “Mr. Noh brings a broad range of successful experience that will benefit the development of Christian resources worldwide,” Riskey said.
As the CEO of Christian publisher Urim Books and a board member of Korean Publishers Association, Mr. Noh serves as a visionary leader of the publishing industry. Urim Books has published more than 450 Christian titles authored by Dr. Jaerock Lee in 75 languages including English, French, Japanese, Chinese, Arabic and Hebrew. Dr. Lee's Manmin Central Church has 11,000 branches and associative churches around the world, according to Warren Bird, Director of Research and Intellectual Capital in the U.S.
In 2014, he founded Seoul Central Asset, a financial company in collaboration with Shinhan Financial Group.
He is the recipient of various awards, such as the Business Management Grand Prize by Hankook Ilbo Communication, and the Dong-A Ilbo Unity Prize. The Unity Prize recognizes key CEOs who help move the Korean economy. Noh has also received the Business Grand Prize from Shinhan Financial Group for six consecutive years.
Noh has always believed in strong relations between Christian companies and the community. He puts his beliefs into practice by conducting extensive social welfare projects through his company. His projects reach out to such organizations as Korea Youth Association, Seoul Hanyoung University (former Hanyoung Theological University) and Republic of Korea National Red Cross.
He is the president of Seoul Welfare Newspaper and received the Social Welfare Prize from the mayor of Seoul.
During Korea’s recent elections, Noh was a special economy and industry adviser to Moon Jae-in, who was elected President in May.
There are 18 affiliate CBA groups around the globe, including CBA USA, each providing association services, training and events based on local needs and support. CBA began its international outreach in 1961 when it established a fund to support international Christian product retailers and suppliers.