Yonsei University honors winners of annual Korean Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals

Yonsei University announced Friday that it celebrated the winners of the annual Korean Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals.

Yonsei University Institute of Language & Information Studies Director Rhee Seok-chae poses for a photo with Natalie Katharina Goebel, the grand prize winner for Yonsei University's annual Korean Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals. [YONSEI UNIVERSITY]

Yonsei University announced Friday that it celebrated the winners of the annual Korean Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals.

The grand prize, referred to as the Korean term jangwon, was awarded to Natalie Katharina Goebel from Germany. An award from Yonsei University's president, a trophy and prize money of 1 million won ($725) were presented to the winner.

“Natalie's work depicts her view of humans and our world, portraying it on a cosmic scale and evoking a deep sense of emotion,” said Kim Hyun-joo, a professor of Korean language and literature at Yonsei University and a judge for the competition.

Apart from the grand prize winner, another 61 participants received awards and prizes.

This is the 30th Korean Writing Contest for Foreign Nationals, hosted by the Yonsei Korean Language Institute since 1992. Around 1,400 foreign nationals from 66 countries participated in the contest this year.

Participants could choose to enter the contest in either the poetry category, writing a poem on the topic of "star," or in the essay category, writing an essay on the theme of "bus stop."

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]