Sejong City, this year's child Hangeul king?

Sejong Special Self-Governing City held the main round and award ceremony of the '2024 National Children's Hangeul King Contest' in collaboration with The Korea Times on the 28th.

Unlike last year's contest, which was limited to children in Sejong City, this year's contest was held nationwide.

The main competition was held on August 17 at the Boram General Welfare Center in Sejong City, which was built using Korean consonants, with 50 participants who passed the preliminary round and two winners of last year's grand prize and first prize.

KBS announcer Ummin Lee, who has been hosting the Korean Language Competition for 12 years, served as the moderator, and the Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture at Korea University (Director Lee Chang-min) was in charge of the questions and supervision.

A total of 20 questions were asked, including 11 essay questions and 9 multiple-choice questions.

Four of the 20 questions were answered by Mayor Choi Min-ho, Sejong City Council Speaker Lim Chae-sung, Lee Chang-min, director of the Sejong Institute of Korean Language and Culture at Korea University, and Cheon Bum-san, vice superintendent of Sejong Education.

The 52 children who participated in the main competition wore tops with 'Young Sejong Chungnyeong,' the symbol of Sejong City, and showed off their Korean language skills.

There were also side events such as a surprise talent show that not only the participants but also their parents could enjoy together.

This year's grand prize (awarded by the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism) and the honor of the King of Hangeul for children went to Heo Hae-eun (3rd grade, Seoul Jamwon Elementary School), while the first prize (awarded by the Mayor of Sejong Special Self-Governing City) went to Park Cho-yeon (6th grade, Birong Elementary School) and Lee Ian (4th grade, Dajeong Elementary School).

In addition, the President of the Hangeul Society Award (2), the Mayor of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Award (2), the Superintendent of the Sejong Special Self-Governing City Award (2), and the Honorable Mention Award (Korea University Sejong Institute of Language and Culture, 2) were given to children from all over the country.

Mayor Choi Min-ho said, “This year's Children's Hangeul King Contest is even more meaningful because it was held as a national contest.” “Sejong City will take the lead so that children growing up can use our language correctly and feel the importance of Hangeul and Korean.”

Meanwhile, Sejong City will celebrate the 578th Hangeul Day next month, hosting the '110th Anniversary of the Death of Ju Ji-kyung' with the Hangeul Society and the '1st Sejong Hangeul Olympiad' with Herald Media Group.

On the 9th, the day of Hangeul Day, the city will host the '2024 Hangul Run' with entertainer Sean, known for his donation marathon, to spread the joy of the creation of Hangeul as the Hangeul Culture Capital.