PM Modi gets Seoul Peace Prize

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will this year receive the Seoul Peace Prize – an award, which was in the past conferred on the likes of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, late and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and his successor Ban Ki-Moon.

The Seoul Peace Prize Committee has decided to confer the award for 2018 on Prime Minister, in recognition of “his dedication to improving international cooperation, raising global economic growth, accelerating the human development of the people of India by fostering economic growth in the world's fastest-growing large economy and furthering the development of democracy through anti-corruption and social integration efforts”, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a press-release issued in New Delhi.

The Seoul Peace Prize was established in 1990 to commemorate the success of the 24th Summer Olympic Games held the capital of South Korea. Modi is the 14th recipient of the award.

Apart from Merkel, Annan and Ban, the other past recipients included Muhammad Yunus, the founder of Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, Juan Antonio Samaranch, late and former President of International Olympic Committee, and former US Secretary of State George Schultz.

The global non-profit organizations Oxfam International and Médecins Sans Frontières too received the award in the past.

Yunus and Médecins Sans Frontières later received the Nobel Peace Prize too.

While awarding the 2018 Seoul Peace Prize on Modi, the Award Committee recognized his “contributions to the growth of the Indian and global economies, crediting 'Modinomics' for reducing social and economic disparity between the rich and the poor”, MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said.

The committee lauded Prime Minister’s initiatives to make the government cleaner through anti-corruption measures and demonetization. The committee also credited Prime Minister for his contribution towards regional and global peace through a proactive foreign policy with countries around the world under the 'Modi Doctrine' and the 'Act East Policy.'

Expressing his gratitude for the prestigious honour and in light of India's deepening partnership with the Republic of Korea, Prime Minister Modi has accepted the award, the MEA said in its press-release.