Singer Lee Mee-ja receives high medal of cultural merit

SEOUL, March 25 (Yonhap) -- A legendary singer with some 600 albums in her discography was given the nation's second-highest order of cultural merit on Wednesday by President Lee Myung-bak.

Lee Mee-ja, 67, was awarded the Eun-Gwan Medal in a ceremony at the presidential
office Cheong Wa Dae, becoming the first singer to receive the recognition. She
began singing professionally at the age of 17 and has since released some 600
albums containing more than 2,100 songs, the largest number by a single crooner
in the country. She also commands a large following in Japan.
"The president asked Lee Mee-ja to continue her devotion to inspiring the people
through her activities so that the people, who are now facing unprecedented
economic and social difficulties, can brace for yet another challenge," Cheong Wa
Dae said in a statement.
"President Lee's personal investiture of the Eun-Gwan Medal to Lee Mee-ja will be
an opportunity in which we can further promote our popular music here and abroad
while also changing our people's perception of popular music," the presidential
office said.
Medal recipients also included Lee Jong-hwan, head of a local chemical company
who donated his life savings of some 600 billion won (US$432 million) to set up a
scholarship fund.
The 85-year-old was presented with Mugunghwa Medal, the highest of order of civil
merit, Cheong Wa Dae said.