Contest builds links with Korea<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Restu Amalia, 22, a student of law at the Pakuan University in
\nBogor in West Java was surprised when informed that she had won a
\nwriting contest organized by the National Education Ministry and
\nthe South Korea Embassy in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
"I heard about the writing contest from my sister and I
\nsubmitted my article on the closing day of the contest. So, I am
\nreally surprised that I won the contest," Restu told The Jakarta
\nPost after accepting the prize at the National Education Ministry
\non Wednesday.<\/p>\n
"I just explained in my article what my Korean pen friend has
\ntold me. You see, I have learned many aspects of Korean culture
\nfrom her. For instance, I have learned that Korean people
\nappreciate cleanliness and traditional festivals very much. So, I
\nwrote about several festivals," Restu said.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of National Education and the South Korean
\nEmbassy have organized an annual writing contest for high school
\nand university students in the past 10 years. Participants are
\nfree to pick a topic related to relations between the two
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The winner of the high school category was Fernando Lawrens H
\nof State Senior High School No. 1, Samarinda, East Kalimantan. He
\nwrote about the role of Korean women in coping with difficulties.<\/p>\n
"In family life, a Korean woman shows great dedication, as a
\nwife and mother. A Korean woman is willing to serve her family
\neven if her husband treats her badly," he said in his writing.<\/p>\n
"If we observe the treatment Korean women have received so
\nfar, we could call them iron women because they survive even if
\nthey are treated unfairly by their own people," Fernando said in
\nhis writing.<\/p>\n
Besides a cash prize, winners of the contest will also travel
\nto South Korea for one week to learn more about its culture.<\/p>\n
As economic and diplomatic relations between South Korea and
\nIndonesia have grown stronger in recent years, the contest aims
\nat introducing Korean culture to Indonesians.<\/p>\n
South Korean Ambassador to Indonesia Lee Sun Jin said the ties
\nbetween the two countries had continued to grow.<\/p>\n
He also said that around 30,000 South Koreans are living in
\nIndonesia. They are mostly working for some 1,200 companies or
\ninstitutions in the country. Meanwhile, the number of Indonesian
\nworkers in South Korea has reached 20,000.<\/p>\n
He said that South Korean citizens in Indonesia were the
\nlargest foreign community in the country.<\/p>\n
"This kind of contest will help boost understanding between
\npeople from both countries as young people or students really
\nlearn about Korean culture. On our part, more and more Koreans
\nare learning Indonesian as several universities are focusing on
\nteaching Malay and Indonesian," Lee told the Post.<\/p>\n
He said that his office would help any university here in
\nIndonesia that intended to open Korean studies.<\/p>\n
"Right now, we are providing books, information and facilities
\nto universities or institutions that have the plan to open Korean
\nstudies. Later, we will probably hold a government-to-government
\ndiscussion on this matter," Lee said.<\/p>\n
Minister of Education Bambang Sudibyo said that the contest
\nhad so far helped introduce Korean culture and people to a wider
\nIndonesian community and Indonesian culture to Koreans.<\/p>",
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