Two Korean students received the Medal for Academic Merit from the Philippine Embassy on September 24, 2009 after besting hundreds of other middle and high school students in an essay competition focusing on Philippines-Korea relations.

Philippine Ambassador Luis T. Cruz conferred the medals on Park Jeong-Hoon and Kang Min-Jee, whose thought-provoking essays tackled issues such as discrimination, culture, history, trade and investments. “We have to first throw out the prejudice we have,” wrote Park, who discussed the need to change mindsets and attitudes towards migrant workers and foreign spouses in intercultural marriages. Park also argued for increased investment in the Philippines, citing green industries as an example. Meanwhile, Kang underscored the role of culture in fostering mutual understanding. “From its food to its traditional dance, the Philippines has numerous cultural resources,” she wrote, adding that increasing cultural interaction between the two countries is key to a better relationship. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the Philippines and South Korea. The Philippines was the fifth country to extend recognition to South Korea on March 3, 1949. It also sent troops during the Korean War. Both students took part in the Diplomatic International Forum of Seoul hosted by the Kyunghyang Daily News in August 2009. The Forum was supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.