Winners of 14th Global Korea Awards — 2

National Council of Governors of Education Award

Aspiring runner races toward dream of joining nat'l team

Born to a Korean father and a Filipino mother, Song Jae-yeon is a second-year student at Gyeongan Girls’ Middle School in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, and hopes to become a national track and field athlete.

Song balances team workouts with individual practice and values steady, cooperative progress. She won the 3,000-meter race in the girls’ under-15 division and placed second in the 1,500-meter event at the 54th National Junior Sports Festival, showcasing discipline, endurance and focus.

Despite injuries and a demanding training schedule, she has remained committed and continued to improve. Song also contributes actively to her school’s athletics program, participating responsibly and supporting her teammates as she works toward representing Korea.

Special Jury Award

Nursing student turns adversity into strength

Born to a Korean father and a Filipino mother, Yoon Young-mee is a fourth-year nursing major at Munkyung College in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, and hopes to become a global healthcare professional.

Living in Korea with a multicultural background, Yoon faced prejudice but turned those experiences into resilience and maturity.

In September, she appeared in a multicultural youth special episode of the KBS show “Woorimal Battle,” a language quiz show, contributing to broader awareness of multicultural identities in her community.

Over the past two years, Yoon has completed more than 110 hours of volunteer service, supporting the daily activities of elderly individuals with developmental disabilities. After graduation, she plans to obtain a U.S. nursing licensure and join a government-funded program to gain clinical experience abroad.

Semoon Chang Award

Embracing diversity, growing through challenges

Park Ha-neul, a second-year student at Pyoseon High School in Seogwipo, Jeju, grew up in a multicultural environment that shaped her open-minded outlook and strong sense of empathy.

Born to a Korean father and a Filipino mother, she was later raised by a Pakistani stepfather after her father’s passing.

Park learned Tagalog during her childhood in the Philippines and got along well with peers from diverse backgrounds. In school, she joined student council activities and helped organize a multicultural festival, embracing cultural differences as chances for communication, learning and collaboration.

Although she is not Muslim, Park faced prejudice tied to multicultural families and Islamic cultural backgrounds, and used it as a chance for personal growth. These experiences led her to enroll in an International Baccalaureate school to broaden her global outlook.

Korean Association for Multicultural Education Award

Bringing confidence to the stage, care to classroom

Born to a Korean father and a Mongolian mother, Chae Yu-jin is a sixth-grade student at Gwangju Bongju Elementary School who hopes to become a trot singer, a genre of Korean pop known for its blend of catchy rhythms and vocal flair.

With a warm and caring personality, Chae supports classmates and helps foster an inclusive classroom.

Building on that sense of care, Chae initiated a class discussion on safety awareness after their school's fire alarms were often ignored because of repeated false alerts, stressing the need for proper evacuation.

She also served as a student representative master of ceremonies at a joint school–community festival, working with teachers and local residents. After overcoming her fear of performing, she now hits the stage with confidence and has won several local singing contests. Since 2023, she has volunteered each year to sing at a community service center.

University of Utah Asia Campus Award

Nurturing connection, initiative in school community

Born to Pakistani parents, Bhatti Bethany Naome is a first-year student at Hwasu High School in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, and hopes to become a flight attendant.

She creates monthly birthday messages and the circulation of written encouragement for classmates, helping create a warm and positive classroom atmosphere — a reflection of her thoughtful and supportive character.

To pursue her career goal, she organized a group of peers with similar interests and requested a lecture from an Asiana Airlines crew member, showing initiative and leadership.

Building on that drive, she joined the school band as a singer to overcome her quiet nature and gained confidence through stage performances. Despite the challenges of adapting to a new cultural environment, she remains polite, diligent and active in school community support.