14 students from diverse backgrounds honored in Global Korea Awards

Dignitaries, winners and judges of the 14th Global Korea Awards pose after the award ceremony at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Fourteen outstanding students from diverse backgrounds were honored Thursday for their achievements and contributions at the 14th Global Korea Awards.

The awards, hosted by The Korea Times, aim to support multicultural students who often encounter hurdles rooted in cultural differences or language barriers.

The ceremony, held at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, was attended by awardees and their families, along with Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jung Goo-chang, Seoul Vice Mayor Kim Tae-kyoon and Seoul National University Vice President of International Affairs Kim Tae-kyoon.

Foreign envoys, including Philippine Ambassador to Korea Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez and Minister Counselor and Consul General of the Chinese Embassy to Korea Zhong Hongnuo, were also present.

Representatives from sponsoring organizations, including Korean Association for Multicultural Education President Chang In-sil; Upbit Investor Protection Center director Lee Hae-boong, University of Utah Asia Campus Chief Administrative Officer Gregory Hill and Sharp Aviation K Executive Director Kim Se-young also attended to congratulate the awardees.

Sharp Aviation K Executive Director Kim Se-young, left, Seoul Vice Mayor Kim Tae-kyoon, center, and Vice Minister of Gender Equality and Family Jung Goo-chang talk during the award ceremony for the 14th Global Korea Awards at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Jung said in his congratulatory remarks that, as the government ministry responsible for multicultural family policy, they will continue strengthening tailored, stage-by-stage support to ensure that those from diverse immigrant backgrounds can thrive without discrimination.

“I will continue to support you as you grow and become admirable adults who can serve as role models for others,” the vice minister said to the awardees.

The vice mayor of Seoul said the awardees represent a vital source of strength for Korea, enriched by linguistic and cultural diversity. He added that the city is supporting multicultural youth through programs at family and community support centers in all 25 districts and has expanded the Seoul Global Youth Education Center to better assist students who arrive mid-schooling.

Ryu Hong-lim, president of Seoul National University, said in remarks delivered on his behalf that diversity is a value Korean society must continue to strengthen, adding that the awardees will help lead that future with their openness and cross-cultural communication skills.

University of Utah Asia Campus Chief Administrative Officer Gregory Hill, left, and Kim Tae-kyoon, vice president of international affairs at Seoul National University, talk during the award ceremony for the 14th Global Korea Awards at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Korea Times President-Publisher Oh Young-jin said this year’s awardees represent diverse cultural backgrounds spanning 10 countries, demonstrating that we are truly living in a global era.

Oh recalled that when The Korea Times first established the awards 13 years ago, the concepts of multiculturalism and diversity were still unfamiliar to many and widely debated.

“Nonetheless, we believed that these values would become essential in the years ahead, and we created the Global Korea Awards with that conviction,” Oh said. “Looking back now, that expectation was absolutely right. Today, multiculturalism and diversity stand firmly as values of goodness, of the future and of growth.”

Jeong Hun-do, a senior at Seoul National University and a judge for the awards, said he felt deep admiration and respect while reviewing the submissions, noting that each one represents a life far too large to fit on a few pages.

“So on a night when the early dawn is deepening, or on a long walk home after a tiring day, or in a moment when you find yourself confronting prejudice again — I hope this award and the meaning behind it return to you,” Jeong said.

Vice Minister of Gender Equality Jung Goo-chang, left, presents flowers to Selma Naciri, the grand prize winner for the 14th Global Korea Awards, during the award ceremony at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

The grand prize went to Selma Naciri, a student at Bosung Girls' High School in central Seoul's Yongsan District.

Born to a Moroccan father who later became a naturalized Korean and a Korean mother, she drew on her multicultural background to study Arabic and other languages, cultivating an early sensitivity to global perspectives.

Aiming for a future in diplomacy, she has actively participated in her school’s model United Nations program, deepening her interest in international issues.

“I have always seen my background as a clear strength,” Naciri said. “Because I’ve felt in my own life the gaps and differences that emerge when cultures meet, I understand the value of bridging those differences more deeply than anyone. And that experience has made the path I need to follow more clear.”

Naciri added that even when nationality or culture differs, there is always common ground. She hopes to become someone who finds those connections and brings communities that feel distant closer together as neighbors

“For me, today’s award is both an encouragement and a reminder to grow with greater responsibility,” she said.

The Korea Times also recognized two outstanding students each at the elementary, middle and high school levels, along with two from the university category.

Philippine Ambassador to Korea Bernadette Therese C. Fernandez, right, talks with Chang In-sil, president of the Korean Association for Multicultural Education, during the award ceremony for the 14th Global Korea Awards at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

In the elementary school category, Myeong Soo-min, a fifth grader at Geumsan Elementary School in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province, and Shrestha Mondal, a second grader at Gwangnam Elementary School in Busan’s Suyeong District, were honored.

In the middle school category, Kim Eun-woo, a second-year student at Jinsan Middle School in Bupyeong District, Incheon, and Ryu Seo-yeon, a second-year student at Lausanne Collegiate Incheon, were selected as winners.

The prizes in the high school category were presented to Kim Hyun-jin, a second-year student at Kwangdong High School in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province, and Park Si-yeun, a third-year student at Hansung Science High School in Seoul’s Seodaemun District.

The Global Leadership for University Students awards were presented to Andrua Haque, a Master of Science student in Agricultural Biotechnology and FoodTech at Seoul National University, and Ju Ye-bom, a senior majoring in psychology at Sogang University in Seoul’s Mapo District.

Shrestha Mondal, who received the award for Outstanding Elementary School Student, speaks during the 14th Global Korea Awards ceremony at the Korea Press Center in central Seoul, Thursday. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk

Special recognition was also given in five categories.

Song Jae-yeon from Gyeongan Girls’ Middle School in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, received the National Council of Governors of Education Award, while Yoon Young-mee, a fourth-year nursing major at Munkyung College in Mungyeong, North Gyeongsang Province, won the Special Jury Award.

The Semoon Chang Award, which is given to a student with excellent foreign language skills, went to Park Ha-neul of Pyoseon High School in Jeju, and the Korean Association for Multicultural Education Award was given to Chae Yu-jin from Gwangju Bongju Elementary School.

The University of Utah Asia Campus Award went to Bhatti Bethany Naome from Hwasu High School in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.