Elizabeth G. Kraft, a naturalized Korean who worked as a proofreader for the government for the past 41 years, is retiring with one of the highest honors given to a civilian.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Wednesday that it is presenting the Moran Medal, the second-highest Order of Civil Merit, to Kraft upon her retirement on Friday.

Craft, an English proofreader currently working for the Korean Culture and Information Service, has been working for the Korean government since Jan.1, 1977. 

For over four decades, she checked the translated work for major government documents. Her works include proofreading the English version of the Constitution that was revised on Oct. 29, 1987, major speeches, public addresses and letters by presidents, announcement for the summit of the Koreas and policy announcement for government organizations.

Government officials explained that her work was critical in the era when very few Koreans could speak English, as it provided a native English speaker’s view on the translated material.

On a personal level, she married former secretary general of the Seoul Olympic Organizing Committee Lee Ha-Woo in 1969 and has two children. She became a Korean citizen on Feb. 4, 1981.

The medal will be presented to Kraft at the official retirement ceremony of civil servants on Friday.


By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)