2024-25 Korea Op-ed Contest

blue banner for essay contest; text: Korean Literature Essay Contest

The GW Institute for Korean Studies (GWIKS) invites students in the DC area to submit op-eds about any South Korean policy. The Republic of Korea (ROK) faces numerous complex social, economic, and security issues. This contest encourages students to consider how the South Korean government might respond to one of these challenges. The op-ed should analyze the problem and potential policy solutions. Strong submissions will effectively deploy evidence to support their opinion, using hyperlinks to cite sources. Sample topics include policies regarding Korea’s low fertility rate, artificial intelligence (AI), cost-sharing for U.S. Forces Korea, nuclear power, gender divisions in society, immigration, North Korean cyber activities, discrimination, high housing prices, electric vehicle batteries, or digital sex crimes.

 

This contest is jointly run between the George Washington University Institute for Korean Studies and the Institute for Korean Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. GW and IU will each select three winners, with first prize receiving $500, second prize receiving $300, and third prize receiving $100.

 

The winning piece from each university will also be published in the Korea Economic Institute of America (KEI)’s flagship blog “The Peninsula.”

Deadline: Dec. 6, 2024 (5pm)
 
Submit your information and upload the op-ed via this link.

 

Word count: 800-1,200 words
 
Eligibility: The contest is open to undergraduate students and MA students who are currently enrolled in colleges or universities in the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area [District of Columbia, Maryland, or Virginia]. Students from Spelman College and Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia are also eligible to participate. 
 
Judging criteria: 
– deep understanding and analysis of a policy issue
– effective use of diverse sources of evidence to support the argument
– strong and direct writing style
 
If you have any questions about the op-ed contest, please contact:

GWIKS Email: gwiks@gwu.edu 

 

For information about past contests, see: https://gwiks.elliott.gwu.edu/gwiks-korean-literature-essay-contest/