May 15 is a meaningful date for everyone studying the Korean language.
On this day, King Sejong — the creator of Hangeul — was born. Thanks to his contribution, the Korean writing system became accessible to ordinary people.
To mark the occasion, Sejong Haktang at Akhmet Baitursynuly Kostanay Regional University hosted a public speaking competition among students enrolled in Korean language courses.
Participants shared their personal stories entirely in Korean. A total of seven students took part in the competition.
The contest was open to students and graduates of the institute who had completed at least two levels of study and whose parents are not native speakers of Korean.
The participants delivered speeches on the following topics:
During their 2–5 minute presentations, contestants spoke about their language-learning journeys, personal experiences, and the impact Korean has had on their lives and aspirations.
The grand prize of the competition is a fully funded internship in South Korea in 2027.
The trip is financed by the King Sejong Institute Foundation under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. The program is aimed at supporting the study of the Korean language worldwide.
The winner of the competition and recipient of the grand prize was Madina Ibrasheva, a resident of the regional center.
According to the organizers, the competition is being held for the second consecutive year.
Last year’s winner was Eldana Murat, a student of the university who earned the opportunity to complete a one-week internship in South Korea.
We congratulate this year’s winner and wish her continued success and new achievements.
To all students of the King Sejong Institute and participants of the competition, we encourage you to continue pursuing your dreams — many more opportunities lie ahead.
