Receives Presidential Citation for ‘World Water Day 2023’ and Korea Meteorological Administrator Citation for ‘World Meteorological Day 2023’

- Recognized for his contributions to the development of meteorology through his work as an environmental reporter, finding and covering water and disaster weather -

- First journalist to receive a presidential citation for 'World Water Day' -

Park Sang-hyun (Korean Language and Literature, ’08), an alumnus of Sogang University, received a presidential citation at the 'World Water Day 2023' ceremony on Wednesday, March 22. This is the first time a journalist has received the presidential citation on World Water Day.

World Water Day (March 22) was designated by the United Nations (UN) to call attention to and raise awareness of urgent situations involving water management, such as water pollution, drinking-water shortages, etc., caused by the increasing world population and economic activities.

Every year on this day, the Korean government selects figures who have made significant contributions to the nation’s development in the field of water, awarding them with presidential medals, prizes, and citations.

Alumnus Park Sang-hyun is currently a reporter in the Social Policy Department of The Chosun Ilbo, covering environmental issues including water, air, climate change, and resource circulation. He is the first journalist to receive a presidential citation for his contribution to water management on World Water Day.

“In the era of climate change, the environment is directly linked to our survival,” said Alumnus Park. “I intend to take on greater responsibility by writing articles that can help our country.”

Alumnus Park then received a Korea Meteorological Administrator citation at the 'World Meteorological Day 2023' ceremony on Thursday, March 23. This followed on the heels of becoming the first journalist to receive a presidential citation on World Water Day 2023, just the day before (March 22).

World Meteorological Day (March 23), set by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN), is a day for member states to share their meteorological knowledge on various weather phenomena, including global warming, erratic weather events, and El Niño, and to provide better weather information to citizens.

Alumnus Park Sang-hyun is currently covering the environment as a reporter in The Chosun Ilbo’s Social Policy Department. “He has made great contributions in discovering and reporting scenes of disaster weather, such as typhoons, earthquakes, heavy rain, and climate change,” explained the Korea Meteorological Administration.

Over the past year, Alumnus Park has discovered and highlighted the stories of various Korea Meteorological Administration employees, including the staff of the Forecast Bureau who worked overtime all night for 10 nights and 11 days in order to analyze the expected course and intensity of Typhoon No. 11 Hinamno, along with the staff of the Earthquake and Volcanology Bureau who sent a disaster text within 13 seconds of the Goesan earthquake in Chungcheongbuk-do, drawing a public response that “the disaster text was faster than the seismic tremors.”

“I’ll continue to discover the stories of those who work at the Korea Meteorological Administration who keep fulfilling their duties,” said Alumnus Park. “I hope that many people will recognize the efforts of the staff who try their best to ensure the safety and health of the public.”

In addition, on March 22, Alumnus Park donated KRW 1 million to Sogang University’s development fund, stating, “I hope more students from Sogang University will enter the media industry and rise as the best in the field.”