KBS, the nation’s leading public broadcaster, honored several distinguished overseas Koreans during the 16th KBS Overseas Compatriots Award ceremony held on Friday.

The award is given in five categories to ethnic Koreans living overseas who have done an exemplary job of promoting the image, people and culture of Korea.

The head of a school for ethnic Koreans in Russia received the award in the humanities and social sciences category.

The science and technology award went to Kim Choung-un, who is the vice president of the biopharmaceutical company Gilead.

The chief of the Korean Classical Music Institute of America, Lee Ye-keun, won the award in the arts and culture category.

The social service award went to Kim In-sun, the head of a hospice organization in Germany.

This year’s special award went to Seo Yong-dal, a professor at St. Andrew's University in Japan.