Program

The Korea Society 2006 Annual Dinner

honoring
The Honorable Madeleine Albright
Former United States Secretary of State

and
2006 Van Fleet Awardee
Lee Kun-Hee
Samsung Chairman

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

The Pierre
Fifth Avenue at 61st Street
New York City

Reception - 6:30 PM - Cotillion Room
Dinner - 7:30 PM - Grand Ballroom

Hundreds of friends of The Korea Society-including many of the most prominent members of the business and diplomatic establishments in the U.S. and the ROK-gathered in the main ballroom of The Pierre hotel in New York City to celebrate the organization and those who have done outstanding work in carrying out its mission of forging ever closer, deeper U.S.-Korea ties. At this year's annual dinner, Lee Kun-Hee, chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, was honored with The Korea Society's 2006 James A. Van Fleet Award. Madeleine Albright, former U.S. secretary of state, delivered the keynote address.

Introduced by Donald P. Gregg, president and chairman of The Korea Society, Albright spoke in rousing defense of the U.S.-Korea alliance. Recounting her experiences in dealing with the North Korean nuclear issue in the 1990s, Albright decried the current administration's hard-line posture towards Pyongyang, urging that the U.S. conduct direct and unconditional talks with the North and cement a comprehensive plan for denuclearization and development on the Korean peninsula. "It is important that all concerned focus less on process and debating points than on progress and results," she said.

Albright was followed by a last-minute addition to the program, South Korea's foreign minister and the leading candidate for U.N. secretary general, Ban Ki-Moon. Minister Ban praised all the work of The Korea Society over the last year, as well as the many contributions made by Chairman Lee to U.S.-Korea relations. Donald P. Gregg then took the podium to present the award.

Entertainment for the evening was provided by the sounds of the International Sejong Soloists, one of the most prestigious string ensembles in New York, and the stylings of renowned Korean jazz vocalist Youn Sun Nah.

The 2006 annual dinner was one of the most successful in The Korea Society's history. The caliber of the program attracted a full house of guests and sponsors, as well as numerous members of the Korean, American and Japanese press.  

Speakers & Honorees

Madeleine Korbel Albright served as the 64th secretary of state of the United States.  In 1997, she was named the first woman secretary of state and became, to that time, the highest ranking woman in the history of the US government. (portrait by Timothy Greenfield Sanders)

Dr. Albright is the founder of The Albright Group LLC, a global strategy firm.

She is the first Michael and Virginia Mortara Endowed Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service.  She is the chairman of The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs, chair of The Pew Global Attitudes Project and president of the Truman Scholarship Foundation.  Dr. Albright is the co-chair of the High Level Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor (HLCLEP) and also serves on the Board of Directors of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Board of Trustees for the Aspen Institute.  
   
As Secretary, Dr. Albright reinforced America’s alliances, advocated democracy and human rights, and promoted American trade and business, labor, and environmental standards abroad.

Accomplishments during former Secretary Albright ’s tenure included the expansion and modernization of NATO and NATO’s successful campaign to reverse ethnic cleansing in Kosovo; the promotion of peace in the Balkans; the reduction of nuclear dangers from Russia; the strengthening of democracy in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America; the skillful management of our multifaceted relationship with China including trade as well as human rights; and the growth of trade in the Americas, in Africa through the African Growth Opportunity Act, and through the conclusion of hundreds of other agreements that facilitated American business overseas. 

From 1993 – 1997, Dr. Albright served as the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations and as a member of the President’s Cabinet.  In 1995, she led the U.S. delegation to the UN’s Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China.

Dr. Albright was the Director of Women in Foreign Service Programs and a Research Professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University during the decade prior to her return to public service.  From 1989 -1992, she was President of the Center for National Policy, a non-profit public policy organization based in Washington D.C.  As a professor, Dr. Albright wrote extensively on change in communist systems particularly on the role of the media. 

From 1978-81, Dr. Albright was a member of President Carter’s National Security Council and White House staff.  From 1976-78, she served as Chief Legislative Assistant to U.S. Senator Edmund S. Muskie. 

Dr. Albright received her B.A. with Honors, from Wellesley College, Masters and Doctorate from Columbia University’s Department of Public Law and Government, as well as a Certificate from the Russian Institute.

She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and immigrated to America with her family after Communists took control of that country in 1948.  She is the mother of three daughters and has six grandchildren.

Dr. Albright’s autobiography, Madam Secretary: A Memoir, was published in September, 2003. She has a new book entitled The Mighty and The Almighty – Reflections on America, God and World Affairs, published in May, 2006. (as of 5-06)

Lee Kun-Hee is chairman and CEO of Samsung Electronics, a leading manufacturer of industrial and consumer electronics. Prior to serving in this role, Lee served as chairman of the Samsung Group from 1987 to 1998 and vice chairman of the group from 1978 to 1987. He began his career with the Samsung Group in 1968, serving as executive director of Joong-Ang Daily News and Tong-Yang Broadcasting Corporation until 1978. Lee has made many noteworthy contributions to the global business community. For his dedication to improving economic and social ties between France and Korea, the French government honored him in 2004 with the Commandeur de la Légion D'Honneur (Commander of the Legion of Honor), a prestigious decoration established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802.

Lee has worked tirelessly in a variety of roles to advance the well-being of Korea and the Korean people. He has been of vice chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries since 1987, and vice chairman of the Korea-Japan Economic Committee since 1981. He is the current director of the Korean Youth Association.

Lee has also worked to extend opportunities to Korean athletes. Lee served as president of the Korean Amateur Wresting Federation from 1982 to 1996 and as honorary president since 1997. He has been a standing member of the Korean Olympic Committee since 1982, becoming vice president of that committee in 1993 and honorary president in 1996. In 1996, Lee was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee and, later that year, as a member of the Korean Organizing Committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea-Japan.

Born on January 9, 1942 in the town of Uiryung, Kyongnam Province, South Korea, Lee is married with one son and two daughters. He majored in economics at Waseda University in Tokyo, studied business administration at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and has received two honorary doctorates-one, in business administration, from Seoul National University in January 2000, and the other, in philosophy, from Korea University in May 2005.

Dinner Committee

BENEFACTORS

PATRONS

Dinner Supporters

BENEFACTORS

Citigroup Inc.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Standard Chartered Bank

PATRONS

American International Group, Inc. 
Corning Incorporated
Kookmin Bank
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd 

SPONSORS

FedEx Express 
Gale International
GS Caltex Corporation
Korea Exchange Bank
Korean-American Friendship Association
Lazard Asset Management LLC
Lehman Brothers
LG Electronics, North America Headquarters 
Poongsan Corporation 
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 
Prudential Financial
SK USA, Inc.
Tiger Asia Management L.L.C.
 

DONORS

Deloitte & Touche USA LLP
Gale International
Hyosung America Incorporated
Kim & Chang
Korea Bankers Association of New York
KPMG LLP
Merrill Lynch
NYSE Group 

CONTRIBUTORS

Asian American Bar Association of NY
The Boeing Company
Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP 
DMZ Forum 
Korea International Trade Association 
Korea Consulate General 
POSCO America Corporation
State Street Financial

SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Additional support was provided by Robert A. Terry, Westinghouse.

We gratefully acknowledge in-kind donations from Johnnie Walker.