Kihak Sung, Chairman of Youngone Corporation and a pioneer in Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) and textile sectors, was awarded honorary citizenship of Bangladesh today for his outstanding contributions to the industry and Bangladesh economy.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus handed over the citizenship document to Sung at the formal inaugural ceremony of the Bangladesh Investment Summit-2025 at Hotel Intercontinental in the city.

Sung, who first came to the country in the mid-1990s, was one of five individuals and organisations honoured for their significant contributions to Bangladesh.

"I am truly honoured receiving the honorary citizenship," Sung told the Summit.

Fabric Lagbe Ltd (innovation category), Walton, bkash (foreign investment), and Square Pharmaceutical (local company) were adorned with Excellence in Investment Award 2025. 

The chief adviser also conferred the awards.

Baroness Rosie Winterton, UK's Trade Envoy to Bangladesh; Óscar García Maceiras, CEO of Inditex; and Apex Footwear Limited Managing Director Syed Nasim Manzur spoke to express their views on the investment front.

Advisers to the interim government, including Finance Adviser Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin, Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul and Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), among others, joined the inaugural event.

SDGs Affairs Principal Coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam also joined the event where Special Envoy Lutfey Siddiqi welcomed all.

Kihak Sung served as President of the International Textile Manufacturers Federation (ITMF) for the 2018-20 term.

His meteoric rise in the textile arena is associated with the success of Youngone Corporation, over the years, as a pioneering investor in RMG and textile sector FDI which led investments both in Chattogram and Dhaka EPZs and lately in Korean EPZ.

Youngone was the first investor in the textile and apparel export sector in May, 1980 and has been a pioneer in female employment in the industry.