▲ First Prize Winner: "Hwanwoong's Hongik Man" by Kim Ji Yoo from Seoul, South Korea 

The NEAR Secretariat (Secretary-General Lim Byung-jin) announced the winners of the 12^th NEAR Youth Art Contest on November 5. A total of 155 artworks were selected as award-winning pieces through a rigorous external evaluation with the Pohang Branch of the Korean Fine Arts Association.

This year, under the theme “Mythic Stories of Our Region or Country,” the contest drew significant interest and participation from teenagers across 36 member regions in five countries of Northeast Asia, resulting in a total of 678 entries. 

The First Prize was awarded to “Hwanwoong’s Hongik Man” by Kim Ji Yoo from Seoul Metropolitan City, South Korea. The artwork, depicting Korea’s Dangun mythology in alignment with the contest theme, was highly praised for its artistic quality, symbolism, and overall excellence.

The Second Prize awardees include “Picture of Doumu Yuanjun Went on Patrol” by Yang Haotong from Liaoning Province, China; “Nymph of the Xiang River” by Hu Ningge from Hunan Province, China; “The Legend of the Loong——An Ode to Courage” by Wen Ke from Hunan Province, China; “The Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea” by Peng Fulin from Hunan Province, China; “Defeat the Eight-Pronged Serpent” by Hamada Junsei from Tottori Prefecture, Japan; “The Great and Long Tale of the Gods” by Tajika Maino from Hyogo Prefecture, Japan; “Yongduam Rock Myth, Jeju” by Kim Woo Jin, from Jeju Province, South Korea; “The Sun and the Moon” by Oh Eun Sang from Jeju Province, South Korea; “The Mongolian Naadam I Know” by Gal Gerelmaa from Uvs Province, Mongolia; and “Legends of Shaman” by Stepanenko Sofiya from Tomsk Region, Russia. There were 20 Participation awardees including “Princess Bari” by Kang Han Seo from Chungcheongnam-do Province, South Korea. And there were 124 Special Recognition awardees including “Magical Flute, Manpasikjuk with Korean Myth” by Lee Ji An from Gyeongsangbuk-do Province, South Korea.  

The NEAR Secretariat plans to send out prize certificates and special gifts to the awardees, as well as participation certificates and souvenirs to every participant in the mid-December.

Atttachment 1. Participation Status of the 12th NEAR Youth Art Contest (Click)

      2. Winners of the 12th NEAR Youth Art Contest (Click)