ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL Ambassadors appreciate paper's role in meeting global demand

U.S. Ambassador to Korea Harry Harris delivers a speech during The Korea Times' 70th anniversary reception at Lotte Hotel in downtown Seoul, Thursday. / Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

By Yi Whan-woo

• Published Oct 29, 2020 9:48 PM KST
• Updated Oct 29, 2020 9:50 PM KST

By Yi Whan-woo

Foreign dignitaries participating in The Korea Times' 70th anniversary reception said the English-language newspaper's influence is growing in a globalized world when more people around the world search for news related to Korea.

More than two dozen international dignitaries who joined the ceremony, including 22 heads of diplomatic missions, said The Korea Times has been faithful in meeting this demand.

Noting this year also marks the 70th year of the outbreak of the 1950-53 Korean War, U.S. Ambassador Harry Harris said The Korea Times “reminds us that the fight for democracy has continued in other equally crucial ways of the battlefield.”

Harris said democracy, freedom of speech and freedom of the press are values shared by the U.S., Korea and many other countries. “To the Korea Times, I say thank you for the role you continue to play in helping society further these democratic ideals,” he said in his congratulatory address during a celebration ceremony at the Lotte Hotel Seoul, Thursday.

Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming commented that the English-language daily has been an important window for the world to understand Korea. “It has helped Korea find more opportunities to reach out to the world,” he said in his speech.

Indian Ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan noted the role of the press is to communicate, inform and debate about the main issues of the day and to act as a check on the powerful so as to give the less powerful an opportunity to be heard.

“The Korea Times has lived up to this big responsibility in the course of Korea's journey as a nation,” she said.

American Chamber of Commerce in Korea (AMCHAM) Chairman and CEO James Kim also said The Korea Times has “played an invaluable role in the globalization of Korea.”

“I know that many leaders of U.S. companies turn to The Korea Times as their first source to understand Korean current events,” Kim said. “As the largest and longest-standing foreign chamber in Korea, AMCHAM truly appreciates The Korea Times' incredible effort in putting Korea on the international stage,” Kim said.

The speakers also recognized the newspaper's contributions to their countries' relations with Korea, such as alliances and the promotion of democracy, the push toward digitization, and cooperation in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.