Irish-Korean Essay Competition

The Embassy of Ireland, South Korea, and The Irish Association of Korea are very proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Irish-Korean Essay Competition for university students in Korea. The competition seeks to raise awareness about connections between both Ireland and Korea. The competition will allow contestants to compete for an opportunity to experience Ireland from an educational, cultural, and academic perspective, by offering the winner an opportunity to study in one of Ireland’s leading private language institutes for one month.

Details of the Competition

The competition will be administered by the Irish Association of Korea, a non-profit organisation which actively seeks to promote Ireland and all that falls under the banner of ‘Irishness’ within Korea, and supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Seoul. The competition is designed to highlight Ireland as a leading location for study abroad, and as a unique and fascinating cultural destination.

First prize will include one month of study in the Emerald Cultural Institute (www.eci.ie), including accommodation, return flights from Korea to Dublin, and cash. There will also be a cash and cultural prize awarded to second place, while third, fourth and fifth place will be awarded cultural prizes. The total value of the prizes is approximately 10 million Korean won The prize is valued at 6,500 Euros which at time of going to press is valued at 10,176,903 KRW.

The competition is open to all full-time, registered, under-graduate university students in Korea. Students must be enrolled as a full-time student and not an exchange student, post-graduate student. Participants are invited to write an essay in the traditional format on any particular subject, provided that it is related to the topic Ireland and Korea. Essays may be written in any style the participant wishes but it is expected that all sources shall be referred to properly. Sources should be referred to using the appropriate academic format. The minimum length for each entry must not be less than 1,500 words and no more than 2000 words. All essays must be written in the English language. The deadline for submissions has been set for November 30, 2011 at 5pm.

There is no fee required for entry to this competition.

Why Ireland and Korea?

Ireland and Korea are often compared with each other, but rarely has this connection been actually analysed in much depth. While the first official connection between Ireland and Korea was the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1983 and the opening of embassies in Dublin in 1987 and in Seoul in 1989, Irish people have been visiting, living and working in Korea for over one hundred years. Some of these people have made a very significant impact. Today in Korea there are over 800 Irish citizens living and working in Korea, the highest number ever.

For many, Koreans are referred to as the Irish of the east. There are many reasons for this. Ireland and Korea have always existed next to very dominating neighbours. They have suffered under oppressive colonial regimes but following independence both countries have risen to prominent positions in world affairs. Both countries possess very distinct and unique cultures which have survived the tests provided by their geographical locations. Despite being separated by 8,000 kilometres, both countries began to be influenced by each other in the twentieth century.

Conor O’Reilly, the chairman of The Irish Association of Korea and a lecturer in Kyunghee University, explained that the closest and strongest bonds which exist between Korea and Ireland are between the people and their own personal experiences. “There are stronger connections between Irish and Korean people than you may think” he explained. ” Sometimes it is as simple as a person’s favorite song or book, or their favourite food. More and More Korean people are connecting with Ireland on a personal level, and it is because of these individual connections that Korean people and Irish people are developing a stronger affinity together”, Mr. O’Reilly explains.

It is through the inaugural Irish-Korean Essay Competition in Korea that the The Irish Association of Korea and the Embassy of Ireland in South Korea are seeking to strengthen these personal ties by offering Korean university students the special opportunity to experience Ireland first-hand, and to develop their own relationships with Ireland.

Contact

If you have any questions relating to this competition, or would like to request an interview, please contact the Irish Association of Korea by email iak.chair@gmail.com. Essays should be submitted by email to the Embassy of Ireland, South Korea before the submission deadline - seoulembassy@dfa.ie. Email submissions should include the heading Irish Korean Essay Competition.