ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Republic of Korea's Consulate General in Erbil on Friday hosted the Kurdistan Region's first-ever Quiz on Korea competition, selecting a representative to compete in the international final in Seoul later this year.
Fifty participants from across the Kurdistan Region who speak Korean took part in the competition, which is organized annually by South Korean diplomatic missions around the world. Winners from around 40 countries advance to the global final round in South Korea.
Quiz on Korea is an annual international trivia competition organized by the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS). Designed to promote global interest in South Korea, the contest tests participants' knowledge of Korean culture, history, language, and society while fostering cultural exchange and strengthening ties between South Korea and countries around the world.
Farman Jamal, the Deputy Consul General of Korea in Erbil, said the event marked a milestone for Korean language learners in the Kurdistan Region.
"Today's activity is called 'Quiz on Korea,' and it is a test of knowledge regarding Korea," Jamal told Rudaw on Friday. "This is an international competition, and today 50 citizens from the Kurdistan Region who speak Korean participated."
"This is the first time such an event has been organized in Erbil to allow Korean speakers to come and test their skills. Fortunately, the first-place winner will represent the Kurdistan Region in Korea," he said.
The competition was won by Zhilan Kamal, an accountant from Sulaimani who taught herself Korean over the past seven years by watching Korean films and listening to music.
Explaining how she learned the language, Kamal told Rudaw, "I watched many programs and listened to songs; by paying attention to the words, I gradually became more immersed in the Korean language and learned it."
Bala Najat, who finished in second place, said participating in the competition was an opportunity to test her own expertise as a Korean language instructor.
"I am a Korean language teacher, but I seized this opportunity to participate and compete based on my knowledge of Korea. Fortunately, I achieved second place," she told Rudaw.
The international Quiz on Korea final is scheduled to be held in Seoul in September. Kamal will represent the Kurdistan Region against contestants from countries around the world for the global title.
Dilnya Rahman contributed to this report.
