Winners of The Korea Times Korean Language Speaking Contest pose during an award ceremony at the Korea Cyber University's Inchon Hall in central Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The Korea Times witnessed the growing global influence of Korean culture and language as it awarded winners of the Korean Language Speaking Contest during a ceremony at the Korea Cyber University's Inchon Hall in Seoul, Wednesday.
Now in its third year, the event has seen explosive growth, cementing its status as a premier global platform for Korean language learners.
This year’s contest drew 3,908 applicants from 110 countries. This marks a 120 percent increase in number of applications compared to the previous year, with participants submitting short and long videos across platforms including YouTube, TikTok and Instagram.
Jung Hyang-mi, deputy minister of the culture and arts policy office at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, emphasized the deep cultural connections fostered by learning the language.
