The Korean Cultural Centre in Egypt organised the 2023 edition of the Korean Language Speech and Writing Contest for students of the King Sejong Institute.
A total of 22 students, who passed the preliminary round out of 46 applicants, were given the opportunity to showcase their skills in speaking and writing in Korean while sharing their own stories on their journey to learn Korean and their views on Korean culture.
The first-place winners in the speaking and writing categories will be eligible to participate in the final round, which will be held in South Korea in October 2023. They will also receive Korean language training and the opportunity to apply for language study programs at Korean universities.
Oh Sungho, Director of the Korean Cultural Center, expressed his happiness at organising the contest. He noted that the number of Korean language learners in Egypt has been growing in recent years, as more and more young people are eager to learn the language and explore Korean culture.
“The centre plans to expand Korean language education by accepting more applicants in our seasonal courses and opening a new branch of the King Sejong Institute in another city,” he added.
After the evaluation of the jury, Ayat Tarek was announced as the first-place winner in the speaking category, and Nadine Yasser was announced as the first-place winner in the writing category.
The demand for learning Korean has increased in recent years, driven by the growing popularity of Korean culture and the global interest in Korean dramas, movies, K-pop music, and food.
The King Sejong Institute, a government-funded Korean language centre for foreigners, was established in 2007 with only 13 centres in three countries. However, as of 2022, there are a total of 244 centres operating in 84 countries.
