Min Byoung-chul launches cultural inclusivity campaign K-Respect in the U.S.

Min Byoung-chul, founder of a nongovernmental foundation against cyberbullying, has taken his K-Respect campaign to the United States, launching it at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in Illinois.

Min Byoung-chul, front row, third from right, and participants of the 2024 Northern Illinois University (NIU) Alumni Association Awards hold banners to respect foreigners and root out malicious comments at NIU in Illinois, United States, on Oct. 18. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

Min Byoung-chul, founder of a nongovernmental foundation against cyberbullying, has taken his K-Respect campaign to the United States, launching it at Northern Illinois University (NIU) in Illinois.

The K-Respect campaign, which launched in Korea in March last year, aims to heighten awareness and respect for more people to embrace diverse cultures, “ultimately reducing social conflicts across cultures,” according to Min's anti-cyberbullying organization, the Sunfull Foundation.

The K-Respect declaration ceremony and campaign were held at NIU — where Min earned his master’s and doctoral degrees — on Oct. 18.

“NIU is honored to collaborate with the Sunfull Foundation on this campaign, which aligns perfectly with our mission to create an inclusive environment where students from various cultural backgrounds can thrive,” said Joan Phillips-Hernandez, dean of NIU’s College of Business.

Theresa Chung, chair of the Korean American Presidents Association in the United States, who attended the event, added, “K-Respect, which promotes mutual consideration and respect, is foundational for successful partnerships in business, education and society in the multicultural landscape of the United States.”

Min Byoung-chul, founder of Sunfull Foundation, speaks during his acceptance speech for the 2024 Alumni Achievement in Business and Industry Award at Northern Illinois University, his alma mater, in Illinois, United States, on Oct. 18. [SUNFULL FOUNDATION]

The campaign launch coincided with an awards ceremony where Min received the 2024 Alumni Achievement in Business and Industry Award from NIU.

He was recognized for growing his business “from a publishing business to one of the largest language educational companies in Korea” as the founder and chairman of BCM Educational Group, according to the NIU Alumni Association.

Min was one of seven award recipients at this year's NIU Alumni Association Awards, including Charles Rice, co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

Known as a pioneering English educator in Korea, the founder hosted “Min Byoung-chul’s Practical English” on MBC for 10 years from 1981, introducing conversational American English to Korean audiences. He taught business creativity at Konuk University and Hanyang University. In 2021, he was appointed as an endowed chair of business administration at his alma mater, Chung-Ang University.

Following the NIU campaign launch, Min held a second K-Respect event in front of a police station in Koreatown, Los Angeles, on Oct. 22. Members of the Korean American community and local residents joined the campaign.

The campaign aligns with the Sunfull Foundation’s philosophy of respect, which has been its cornerstone since its establishment in 2007. The nongovernmental foundation began with the launch of the Sunfull Movement, which encourages people to replace malicious online comments with positive ones.

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]