Vietnamese students win Korea Multicultural Youth Awards

The awards, presented by The Korea Times, aim to recognize and encourage students from multicultural backgrounds who often face challenges due to cultural and language barriers. The recipients of these awards exemplify resilience, academic excellence, and personal achievements in the face of difficult circumstances.

Park Hye-mi, a senior at Gwangju Dongshin Girls' Middle School, received the special jury award. Despite facing hardships, Park has demonstrated exceptional academic performance and earned praise from teachers and friends. Her story reflects determination and success in the midst of challenging surroundings, having been born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother who divorced when she was three years old.

In the middle school category, Park Soo-bin, a senior at Wonil Middle School in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, was honored as an outstanding student. Born to a Korean father and a Vietnamese mother, Park is recognized for her excellence in self-directed learning, particularly in science.

Nguyen Duc Toan, a student at Youngseok High School in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province, received a special award. Toan, born to Vietnamese parents, stands out for his exceptional language skills, fluently speaking Vietnamese, Korean, and English. In addition to his academic achievements, he serves as the No. 1 goalkeeper for the Seoul Spartans U18 and has enrolled in the Korea Football Association.

The awards also extended to seven students from other multicultural families who were recognized for their personal talents and moral qualities. In the volunteer category, Lim Mi-eun, a teacher at Sunil Middle School, and the You & Me Happiness Centre, which provides education and support for multicultural families, were acknowledged for their contributions.

The recipients were honored with plaques and prize money of 1 million won each, celebrating their achievements and contributions to overcoming challenges in multicultural communities.