SUNGKYUNKWAN UNIVERSITY (SKKU), SEOUL, KOREA


May-July, 2016 Vol. 2
Worldwide
  • SKKU Ranked Top 12th University in Asia, No.1 Korea Private University for 2 Consecutive Years
  • 5th Sungkyun International Solar Forum with 30 World-class Academics from 12 Countries
  • SKKU Strengthen National Management Capacity of Latin American Countries
  • SKKU-Harvard University Held a Workshop about Confucianism Culture and Digital Humanities
Discovery
  • Top University in Engineering, Employment Rate Over 95% and 1st in Scholarship
  • Nurturing Creative Convergence Talent to Reach Top 10 Rank in Asia
  • Successful Launch of Korea Space Telescope Developed by SKKU
  • 1st University in the Industrial-educational Cooperation Field
Top Schools
  • AI Generation Liberal Arts Freshmen, Come and Play with SW!
  • Listen to the Music Composed by 'AI Composer'
  • Fall in Love with Korean Language - Korean Writing Contest Held in Ho Chi Minh and Beijing
Leading Alumni in a Global Society
  • Noticeable Articles Recently Published in Journals
Leading Alumni in a Global Society
  • Student Volunteers Draw a Mural at Regional Children's Center
  • SKKU Undergraduate Student's 'Cell Survival' Study Published in World-class Academic Journal
Fall in Love with Korean Language - Korean Writing Contest Held in Ho Chi Minh and Beijing

"Just as a seed in the ground grows towards the sun, we have to work hard for our future." (Ding Thi Nga, Ho Chi Minh Human Science University)

"There are no bad seeds in the beginning; the important thing is where we plant them." (Line Sreinit, Royal Phenomph University)

As the news that author Han Kang was awarded the Man Booker Prize reminded people of the importance of those who can make a perfect translation from Korean to English, the interest in the Korean Writing Contest is growing.

The 'SungKyun Korean Writing Contest', hosted by Sungkyunkwan University with the goal of spreading interest and proficiency in the Korean language, was held on the 25th of this month at Eden Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. There were 37 students chosen from 15 universities in 4 countries in Southeast Asia such as Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand. It was filled with the enthusiasm of the local university students eager to display their skills and win a chance to study in Korea. The students used the 'seed' metaphor to write about the future and the concept of hope. Even though the writing wasn't perfect, the students' love for the Korean language was reflected in each letter.

Chief Examiner, Prof. Jae Ho Sung, of SKKU's School of Law said, "We have chosen seed as the topic because we wish that the contest will be a bridge that connects not only the economics but also the social culture and humanitarianism of Korea and Southeast Asia."

Lee Yeon Le (21) from Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanities who is majoring Korean studies said, "It regrettable that I spent too much time thinking about how to write about the subject 'seed' because it has various meanings."

Ding Thi Nga (23) won first prize and the other twenty-three students were honored with prizes as well. The first, second, and third prize winners were awarded full scholarships to attend Sungkyunkwan University's master's course.

The Vice President of International Affairs and also the Chairman of the Writing Contest Committee, Dr. Suke Kyu Lee, said, "There have been lots of changes since we have been holding the writing contest four times a year. For example, Vietnamese middle schools and high schools have chosen to have Korean taught as a second foreign language from this year."

As the news that author Han Kang was awarded the Man Booker Prize reminded people of the importance of those who can make a perfect translation from Korean to English, the interest in the Korean Writing Contest is growing.

The 'SungKyun Korean Writing Contest' was also held in Beijing.Those who participated in the contest were not Korean-Chinese but were in fact Chinese students who have learned Korean. This year's subject was 'speeding', which means that students are often too busy, causing them to miss out on life. The 97 students who got through the preliminaries at 57 colleges wrote on their manuscript papers.

Reporter: "What is the most special part or your contest submission?"

"It was from my grandmother. She told me you will miss the beauty of life when you are too busy. Once you slow it down, you will get to see a part of life you missed before." [Do Wonshin - 4th grade at Beijing University (first prize winner)]

It was the place where students who are majoring in Korean language and literature can have a chance to have their wish granted to study at Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU) if they win the prize.

"We will develop this contest to produce talented people in China like translator Deborah Smith who was awarded the Man Booker Prize with author Han Kang." [President of SKKU, Dr. Kyu Sang Chung]

On the 10th anniversary of this contest, the group of prize winners has increased.

"I will make this club become a strong network in China where Korean experts are gathered." [President of the Prize Winners' Party, Luo Yuan (second prize winner at 1st contest)]

The Institute for the Translation of Korean Classics presented a special lecture about Korean classics to professors from the Korean Department. Today, nearly 30,000 Chinese college students are learning Korean and Hangul from 230 universities where Korean departments have been established.


HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES CAMPUS : 25-2, SUNGKYUNKWAN-RO, JONGNO-GU, SEOUL, KOREA TEL +82-2-760-1151

NATURAL SCIENCES CAMPUS : 2066, SEOBU-RO,JANGAN-GU, SUWON-SI, GYEONG GI-DO, KOREA

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