Every year, an event is held in Seoul to encourage foreigners to better understand Korean culture by giving them the opportunity to visit the country and express their feelings in the Korean language.
Won Jung-hwan reports.

Foreigners who have a talent for speaking Korean are in Seoul to compete in an event organized by the King Sejong Institute Foundation.
Out of some two-thousand-six-hundred applicants who applied from 56 countries for this year's edition,… twelve non-native Korean speakers were invited to compete in the final round of the annual Korean Speech Contest at the COEX Convention Center in southern Seoul.

Each challenger was given a few minutes to give a speech to the panel.
They were randomly chosen to speak freely on one of three topics: the Korean language, K-culture or inter-Korean relations.
Due to the recent peaceful developments on the Korean Peninsula,... this edition had a special topic on inter-Korean relations,… presenting how they, as a foreigner, view the issue.

"When I watched inter-Korean family reunions in the past,... I always thought the bond between the two Koreas was quite special. The two sides have grown up with different ideologies, but the people are one."

"I think human attachment, or 'Jeong' as you say in Korean, is very important to achieve peace on the peninsula. I hope to see people from the two Koreas sharing that 'Jeong' in the near future."

Since 2014, over seven-thousand participants have applied to take part at this event,... each having their own unique reason for learning Korean.

"I started studying Korean three years ago. I was simply interested in how the country developed so rapidly over the past 30 years."

"It all started from Taekwondo, my favorite sport,… and my master was Korean, so I just started to study the language."

The winner, who was awarded the chance to study in Korea for two semesters,… says she would like to become a Korean teacher one day.

"When I was depressed,... I got a lot of comfort through Korean. I always watched Korean TV shows. Since I know the power of the language,... now it's my time to help others. I'd like to become a Korean teacher and help my own people."
Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News.