Korean-Language Learners from around the World

Compete in Hangul Writing Contest

 

-More than 2,200 Participants from 74 Different Countries

-Writing Themes of “Now” and “Guest”

 

 

On October 7, the twenty-fifth Hangul Writing Contest for international students and residents took place in the Yonsei Amphitheater on the Sinchon Campus. Since 1992, the Korean Language Institute (KLI) has hosted the event to commemorate

Hangul Proclamation Day and promote the Korean language and alphabet worldwide. More than 30,000 people from 100 different nations have taken part since its inception, forging solidarity and friendship through the Korean language.

 

This year’s contest marked the 570th Hangul Proclamation Day as well as the KLI’s seventy-fifth anniversary, and 2,244 contestants from seventy-four countries gathered in the amphitheater to demonstrate their writing skills. Once all the participants had settled in, the writing themes were revealed, with “Now” the focus for the poetry competition and “Guest” for the essay competition.

 

 

 

A Common Forum for Academics and Art

 

The top prize in the poetry section went to Manuvel Azvaje Alamo of Venezuela, while the essay competition was won by ANJINGHUI from China. Seventy-one other participants were also recognized for their writing by the prize committee. This year, special awards were given to multicultural residents of Korea to encourage foreign workers, immigrant wives, and other international residents to learn the Korean language.

 

Along with the Hangul Writing Contest, a talent show was held, which included a taekwondo demonstration, traditional samulnori performance, and traditional Ecuadorian music.

 

Once again this year, international Hangul Writing Contests took place in the United States (US Defense Language Institute) and China (Shandong University and Sichuan Normal University); and, for the first time, the event was held in Japan at the Korean Cultural Center, located in the Korean Embassy in Japan.