Founder's Message
1. This is the founder of the Silk Road Foundation, Sang-Joon Ly. Many have devoted their time and efforts to launch this wonderful foundation and I would like to offer my sincere gratitude to your contributions.
2. The pioneers of the Silk Road had a mission ? to develop a new path for the exchange between the East and West. In recollection of their unyielding spirit and strong willpower, the Silk Road Foundation would also like to embark upon this hopeful journey.
3. Many great people of our society, who support our purpose of the Silk Road Foundation, have participated in the establishment of this foundation. Foremost, our Chairman of the Board, Won-Ho Kim had served as a correspondent, head of the politics department, and CEO in the media for over 30 years. During this period, he had delivered numerous historic events and undertook meaningful press activities that will long be remembered. His highly esteemed insight on international community and copious domestic and overseas personal networking would be an enormous asset to the foundation, which will be engaged with the Eurasia region and neighboring countries.
4. Director Sun-Hyun Kim is an entrepreneur who has overcome numerous difficulties and has made her way to the top with an indomitable will. As a descendant of an anti-Japanese activist, she established the Korea Provisionary Government and has great passion for bringing our society to attention on the importance of our country and its freedom.
Director Duk-Soo Kang is a prominent expert on Russia and Central Asia. He served as the president of the Korean Association of Slavic Studies and had also founded an education institute in the Sakha Republic.
Director Sung-Woo Park has wide knowledge and a lot of experience in international law and will be our legal advisor. Long time fellow and friend, CEO Mun-Sik Park and CEO Chan Yu, who has always given a ready hand, will be our comptrollers.
5. The founder and contributors had established a corporate restructuring company under the foreign exchange crisis in 2000 and have taken position as a unique investment financing group, unfound by any precedents, by overcoming competition with foreign capital and vast financial capital.
6. By overcoming many difficulties and ordeals, the founder realized the true meaning of having a fortune, and has always thought about the most valuable way of living, as a Korean and also as a global person. It was his wish to make a meaningful contribution to major developing countries that have blood ties and historical relationship with our country. This is the same reason why we lead ‘SRI (Social Responsible Investing)’, which strives for continuable development of government, business and family, Principle Investing or Alternative Investing and Investment for Corporate Restructuring, which distributes quasi-public financial resources by enduring high risks, where social economic dispersion effects exists, even though it has not been affected financially.
7. Before the Silk Road Foundation, the founder established and launched the Korea-Vietnam Foundation in Korea and Vietnam concurrently in 2007 and this was the starting point for non-profit public enterprise. The Korea?Vietnam Foundation delivered a contribution of $500,000 to Vietnamese students who are having financial problems, refugees who lost their home and work due to natural disasters, patients with critical illnesses, and homesick Vietnamese brides whom are married to Koreans. Both Korea and Vietnam had suffered under imperialism and had gone through the painful experience where millions were sacrificed during their respective wars. As a result, the Korea-Vietnam Foundation is pleased to know that the relationship between the two countries is advancing into a level of sharing and higher understanding.
8. There is vast business territory and range for the Silk Road Foundation to fulfill the dream of joint prosperity. It is not targeted to a specific country but targeted towards the Eurasian continent. Potential possibilities, people’s efforts toward economic growth, and special historic ties to Korea, promise bright future for the Eurasian community.
9. The founder is a descendant of Prince Lee Long Twen (Lee Yong-Sang). He left Vietnam around 780 years ago on a lone boat with the grief of defeat and settled in Korea as part of the Hwasan Lee clan. Subsequently, he feels homogeneity and a sense of connection to the Goryeo people, who were forced to immigrate to Central Asia by Stalin in 1937. There, they had cultivated the icy barren lands and successfully turned themselves into a group of farming people (Kalkhoz) and produced many labor heroes in history.
10. From 2006, the founder visited many countries along the Silk Road and he personally witnessed the development and growth in these countries. Uzbekistan was the center of the Timur Empire and was leading the development of Central Asia, based on their strength of industrial society. The businessmen there were filled with the positive spirit, ‘It is possible’. Kazakhstan was full of energy. They were sharing the fruition of economic growth will all people and spreading peace and stability in the area. He also vividly remembers the beautiful nature of Kyrgyzstan, which is called as the Switzerland of Central Asia. The world is highly praising Turkmenistan, for rapidly establishing its status in the international stage, based on their vast resources; Tajikistan, the land of cotton, for its rich agricultural products; Azerbaijan for its continuous growth along the western coast of the Caspian Sea; and Armenia for its resources. With the rebirth of the giant, Russia, the descendants of Genghis Khan, the Mongols who once ruled the world, and Turkey, that treasures the glory of the Turk Empire and other countries along the Silk Road, this region has high potential and possibilities to emerge as the new center of development in the reorganizing future.
11. The founder naturally developed an interest in complementary cooperative structure between Korea and Central Asian countries as he had always tended a financial company specializing in connecting companies in crisis with investors and presented milestones for uncertain times. Countries in the Silk Road are resource powerhouses, but at present, they are faced with issues of making developments in the manufacturing business and as Korea has one of the largest manufacturing industries in the world, its economic growth would be a very useful model. Stable supply of resources and the distribution industry of the Eurasian Continent have captured the eyes of Korea. It has the necessary conditions needed for mutual understanding and unity. In this process, the efforts of non-profit organizations are more important than anything else. Global non-profit organization based on good will and philosophy could enhance its role by supplementing the exchange cooperation between public sectors of the government and by promoting partnerships in private areas.
12. Non-profit enterprise, similar to foundations, has great vision and intentions, but on the contrary, there are many cases of failure due to lack of competency and capability to fulfill the work. It is the contributors’ responsibility to establish the foundation, but it has to be operated strictly in a level of public service. The foundation will have to maximize business outcomes through fair and transparent operation, post-management on participants, and a steady and progressive operation policy. More people and organization should participate in making contributions and mutually enjoy sharing and volunteering. Public projects are long journeys taken together by people with good will. Bearing fruit from this journey and gaining a good reputation lies with the competency and insight of the operation staff.
13. Until the launching of the Silk Road Foundation, there has been great help from many who are devoted to our country - diplomats, businessmen, government officials, Korean residents overseas, and civilian emissaries. This foundation is the result of their sweat and efforts.
To Honorable Azimof, Vice Prime Minister of Economy of Uzbekistan, Minister Ganiev, Deputy Minister Salhvayev, and the Honorable Karimatov, we wish to convey our appreciation and respect. We will also remember the Uzbekistan Ambassador to Korea, Honorable Witali Penn, for this interest and encouragement. Our special thanks to former Korean Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Honorable Ha-Young Mun, for his infinite support in establishing this foundation.
President Ki-Ho Jung of Uzbek Korean Association has always been so helpful in providing practical assistance to us. In addition, I wish to offer sincere appreciation to many people who have supported us through the successful launching of the Silk Road Foundation. For us to perform our mission of promoting a strategic partnership am Korea and the Silk Road region, we would like to ask once again of your continuous support and cooperation.
Vision & Mission
The Silk Road Foundation is a non-profit organization that was launched to practice mutual sharing and cultural communication for a New Silk Road in the 21st century among Eurasian, Central Asian and East Asian countries. The foundation is committed to supporting social, economic and cultural communication among the scattered countries in the Silk Road region in order to maintain a cooperative relationship.
Mission
The Silk Road was the first path to globalization that man had opened with many different cultural exchanges and Korea is a country that had created the myth of compressed development after overcoming extreme poverty. On the journey from ocean to land, the two regions meet inevitably.
The Silk Road is a shortcut for Koreans marching toward the world. To the Silk Road, Korea is a role model to finding possibilities of the unknown world. Both Korea and countries along the Silk Road have dreams to make possibility into reality and the passion to learn from one another. The Silk Road had been a passageway and a square that connected people in the ancient times. Although each country has different levels of growth and methods, they should remain partners in the 21st century global square that shares each other’s assets. The starting points to all promises are deep profound insight, reliability, communication and cooperation.
Launching the Silk Road Foundation is part of the concrete effort to identify and promote the creative joint profits of Korea and countries on the Silk Road. This is the very first movement to lay down the foundation of exchange collaboration possible to be realized in the non-profit area.
The Silk Road Foundation will provide information and knowledge to Koreans who want to advance into the Silk Road region. On the other hand, the foundation will provide models and programs to countries on the Silk Road that need the advanced experience of Korea in due time, so that they can apply it usefully. To troubles ahead, we will offer solutions; to people with hearts in volunteering, a place to participate; to business entrepreneurs and private sectors that seek investment opportunities, the right partners; and shortcuts to daring people with will in public interest and private exchange. Rather than exaggeration with a thousand words, the Silk Road Foundation will become a ‘wise partner’ that places practice first and share simple illuminations.
Strategy
The Silk Road Foundation will act as a bridge to bring friendship and friendly cooperative relationship between Korea and countries along the Silk Road. To do this, the Silk Road Foundation will promote plans that will enable joint development through mutually cooperative and sustainable projects. To do this, the Silk Road Foundation will actively develop programs in which the government, people, businesses, public organizations could participate and contribute to the development of our country and improvement of national welfare. To do this, the Silk Road Foundation, with the perception that the future depends on the development of human resource, will fully support young minds to self-develop through educational and cultural programs. To do this, the Silk Road Foundation will shares its past economic development experiences and strategies. With this, we will seek cooperation so that our partners will be able to become a partner of joint prosperity in international society. To do this, the Silk Road Foundation will support economic and cultural exchange for our compatriots in Central Asia, which will promote the understanding of respective countries.
