President of the Corea Image and Communication Institute Choi Jung-wha, seventh from left in second row, and first-place winner Aurelien Rengnez of France, fourth from right in front row, pose with other contestants and organizers of the “Communicating Korea” contest at Samsung Electronics in southern Seoul, Saturday. Courtesy of CICI

By Philip Iglauer


Compare and contrast cultures from around the world, and you might be struck at once with the diversity and common humanity...but how do you communicate that?

That was the topic in the essay and speech contest, “Communicating Korea” — and all in Korean, organized by the Corea Image and Communication Institute (CICI).

More than 200 youths, including foreign and local students, competed to be the one selected to participate in the annual Culture and
Communication Forum (CCF) in September.

The final 20 students, hailing from about a dozen countries, faced off, Saturday, at a seminar room at Samsung Electronics in southern
Seoul, delivering a short presentation on one of three topics:

Does social networking services technology contribute or hinder communication; what are the most serious communications problems Koreans face at home, work and between generations and social classes; and how can traditional Korean culture — its food, music, fashion and literature better connect Korea with the world.

CICI had some celebrity help in judging the contestants Filipina-Korean and National Assembly representative-elect Jasmine Lee and Theresa Rah, spokeswoman for the 2018 Pyongchang bid committee.

The main goal of CICI is to promote Korea. Through interactive communication with opinion leaders and one-way communication with the general public, CICI aims to make Korea better known around the world.

CICI enhances Korea’s brand image by producing promotional films, publishing books about Korean culture, conducting surveys about Korea, Koreans and Korean culture, and by holding contests like this one.

The first-place Aurélien Rengnez of France won a trip to any place in Europe by way of Asiana Airlines and a cash prize of 2 million won.

Second-place winner Wang Chao of China won a cash prize 2 million won. The third-place winner won a cash prize of 1 million won.
The CCF has served as an occasion for global leaders to experience Korean culture and for Korea to learn about the countries of the
participants. It has established itself as a regular platform for promoting Korea overseas.

Led by Choi Jung-wha, a professor of interpretation and translation at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, CICI has brought together
experts every year to brainstorm innovative methods to promote Korea since 2003.

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