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| Announcer-turned-author Sohn Mi-na poses after receiving the Spanish Order of Civil Merit from Ambassador of Spain to Korea Guillermo Kirkpatrick at the ambassador's residence, March 9. Courtesy of Uzurocks Entertainment |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Announcer-turned-author Sohn Mi-na has received a Spanish Order of Civil Merit in recognition of her achievements in bridging Korea and Spain.
According to her agency Uzurocks Entertainment Monday, Sohn received the medal from Spanish Ambassador to Korea Guillermo Kirkpatrick at the ambassador's residence, March 9.
Sohn received the Officer's Cross class of the Order of Civil Merit, the highest honor for civilians, for her efforts in promoting Spain and its culture in Korea.
Ambassador Kirkpatrick, who bestowed the medal on behalf of Spain's King Felipe VI, highlighted Sohn as a fine example of "people-to-people diplomacy."
"Sohn not only promoted Spain and Spanish in Korea, but also helped Spanish ambassadors appointed to Korea to better understand this country," Kirkpatrick said.
She expressed her gratitude to the King as well as the ambassador and said she is honored to receive the special merit. "I strongly believe, based on my experience, that when two countries get closer, many wonderful things can happen," Sohn said upon receiving the merit.
Sohn majored in Spanish at Korea University and worked as an announcer at KBS from 1997 to 2007, hosting popular shows like "Family Entertainment" and "The Golden Bell Challenge."
In 2006, Sohn was named honorary ambassador of Spain in Korea and continued to promote Spanish culture through books, lectures and appearances in television shows.
After taking a break to take a trip to Spain, Sohn published an essay on the country of the Iberian Peninsula "Spain, You Are Freedom" (translated title) in 2006, which became a bestseller in Korea. She also published a series of travel essays after visiting many countries including Latin American countries such as Argentina, Peru, Cuba and Costa Rica.
She also came to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic for appearing on the popular Spanish program "Espejo Publico" (Public Mirror) and sharing Korea's best practices in preventing the spread of the disease.
Last year, she completed the 800-kilometer Camino de Santiago pilgrimage in northern Spain and "El Camino," a documentary portraying her journey on the famous route, which will be released on March 29.
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