Miss Joy Ossai, a fashion model, on Thursday emerged winner at the 2024 Korean writing competition, organised by King Sejong Institute Foundation at the Korea Cultural Centre Nigeria (KCCN) in Abuja.

BRANDPOWER reports that Sejong Institute Foundation is the major Korean Languages Institute in South Korea.

It introduces Korean culture to foreigners by working to make their interests in Korea develop into their better understanding and love for Korea.

The Korean ‘Speech and Writing’ contest grand finale and award ceremony, held at KCCN, featured 15 contestants, 10 contestants for speech contest and five for writing contest with the topic” My Special Korea Culture Experience”.

Ossai who emerged winner in the writing competition and second in the speech competition, will go home with a cash prize of N100, 000 and N50, 000 respectively.

Ms Pearl Ogbalu who came second will go home with a cash prize of N50, 000 and Lantana Muhammad who came third, takes home a cash prize of N30, 000.

An online contestant, Ms Precious Ayodele emerged winner of the speech competition with a cash prize of N100, 000 and a trip to Korea, Ms Chidera Nwankwo who came third won a cash prize of N30, 000.

Ossai said words were not sufficient for her to express her joy, as she emerged winner in the writing competition beating five contestants.

According to her, she feels so happy and grateful for the opportunity given to her by KCCN to participate in the competition.

Ossai said that the award meant a lot to her, adding that she would not take it for granted.

” I did not study the Korean language, I started the study in Nigeria and every single thing I know in Korea started here.

” I never attended any Korean school; I always study with materials on the internet.

” I developed interest the first time I heard about the language. I told myself I must learn this language.

” Sincerely speaking, Korean is the best language in the world and I prefer the language to English. That is to tell you how much I love it,” she said.

Miss Pearl Ogbalu, a content creator, who came 2nd in the writing competition, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity given to her to prove her ability.

Ogbalu said that though her hard work gave her the position, it was made possible due to the resources that were made available online for them to study.

” You can also study through hobbies, interested in drama as well as K-pop music.

” There are so many ways to learn, but you must be willing to absorb information as much as you can,” she said.

Ogbalu appreciated KCCN for fostering such a beautiful relationship between South Korea and Nigeria.

“I commend the centre for creating such opportunities and constantly giving people the chance every year to be in Korea to experience their imagination about Korea,“she said.

Mr Kim Changki, Director KCCN, said that a speech and writing contest was organised yearly for Nigerians that are interested in studying Korean language.

According to him, the centre has Korea language classes, aimed at promoting the Korean language in Nigeria and their teachers came from Korea some days ago.

He commended the winners for developing interest in studying the Korean language, as well as their love for Korean culture.

“I congratulate the winners of this competition for doing their best in studying Korean language.

” The speech competition winner will have the opportunity to go to Korea, eat their food, drink and have full knowledge of Korean culture.

Also speaking, Ms Chidinma Tobins, administrative officer of KCCN, said the competition aimed at spreading the Korean language in a bid  to expose it to other countries.

According to her, there are other programmes at the King Sejong Institute Foundation, where Korean language is being thought.

” This competition that involves  speaking and writing is a way of encouraging the spread of the  language, as well as encouraging people to be interested in it,“he said.