The Royal Asiatic Society Korea announces the winners of the 4th annual essay contest for high school students in Korea. We had the  hugest response ever in submissions this year, and we also expanded the judging to include a category for Korean students attending international high schools. With this expanded student based, RAS Korea is moving ever-outward in reaching a larger audience and preparing future generations to engage in Korean studies.

The competition this year was tough. The judges worked hard to read the essays and determine the winners. Essays were divided among a group of four teams of willing volunteers, who read and voted on a grand award and a runner-up.

We are pleased to announce the following winners. We will have the awards ceremony in conjunction with the Founders’ Day celebration scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 2023, in the British Ambassador’s Residence garden in downtown Seoul.

• Grand Award (Foreign Language High School): Lee Chaemin, ‘Is Retro the new PRESENT?’, Myungduk Foreign Language High School.
• Grand Award (International High School): Kim Dongha, ‘Walking Hand in Hand Towards Harmony’, Korea International School, Jeju Campus.
• Runner-up (Foreign Language High School): Ryu Gamin, ‘The Red Speed Bump of Life’, Daeil Foreign Language High School.
• Runner-up (Internationale High School): In Juhyun Royce, ‘The Goryeo Dynasty, Korea’s Golden Age’, Seoul Foreign School.

We are grateful for the contest sponsors: Korea Heritage Education Institute (K_Heritage_Lab), which contributes the prize money, and RAS Korea’s sponsor, Asia Development Foundation, which provides essential administrative support to the work of the Society.