Daewoo Engineering & Construction Chairman Jung Won-ju was honored with the prestigious 2026 Korea-Africa Contribution Award during Africa Day in Seoul on Wednesday. This significant recognition celebrates his dedicated efforts to strengthen industrial and cultural cooperation between Korea and various African nations.
Moroccan Ambassador to South Korea, Chafik Rachadi, presented this inaugural award at the Africa Day event, which was jointly hosted by the esteemed African Group of Ambassadors, the Korea-Africa Foundation, and The Korea Herald. Ambassador Rachadi specifically lauded Chairman Jung’s “visionary leadership and unwavering commitment” to fostering robust Korea-Africa partnerships, making him the very first recipient of this distinguished honor.
In his acceptance speech, Chairman Jung expressed his profound gratitude, stating he was “truly honored” to receive the accolade. He emphasized his long-standing goal: “We wanted to create a platform where Africa’s economic potential and Korea’s economy could work together.”
Jung further articulated his strong belief that fostering deeper economic cooperation between Korea and Africa requires a more expansive exchange platform. He proudly highlighted Daewoo E&C’s substantial involvement in critical construction projects and impactful social contribution activities across African nations such as Algeria, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Demonstrating its deep-rooted commitment to the continent, Daewoo E&C first entered the African market in 1977. Since then, the company has successfully executed approximately 290 diverse projects across 11 African countries, notably completing 75 projects in Nigeria alone, valued at an impressive combined total of $10.8 billion.
Observing the growing international interest, Chairman Jung noted, “Africa Day is now expanding beyond African ambassadors, with diplomats from around the world attending today’s event.” He reaffirmed Daewoo E&C’s commitment, pledging continued support for initiatives that significantly contribute to Africa’s sustainable development and further strengthen robust Korea-Africa relations.
Concluding his remarks, Chairman Jung passionately declared, “As much as I have received this great honor, I will strive to lead by example and create meaningful initiatives that can help Africa thrive.”
