Education Ministry honors top international students

The Ministry of Education and the National Institute for International Education held a year-end gathering Wednesday, honoring international students enrolled in the government's flagship scholarship program.

The Global Korea Scholarship supports foreign national students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in South Korea. Since its launch in 1967, the program has supported more than 19,500 students from 161 countries.

Education Minister Choi Kyo-jin presented awards to three students in recognition of their academic excellence.

One of the recipients was Lestari Windy Ayu, an Indonesian doctoral student at Gyeongsang National University, who was praised for publishing six papers in international academic journals, including two as a lead author and four as a co-author.

“I am grateful for the support that has allowed me to focus on my studies and research, and for receiving such a meaningful award,” Ayu said. “I hope to become a researcher who contributes to the safety and well-being of humanity.”

Ranbhise Jyotsna Suresh, an Indian master’s student at Kyung Hee University, and Castillo Mark John, a Filipino undergraduate student at Kyungpook National University, were also honored.

The NIIE also recognized four universities — Kangwon National University, Kyung Hee University, Keimyung University and Pai Chai University — for their active cooperation with the GKS program.

The awards ceremony was followed by traditional Korean games and cultural performances. The year-end event also featured student performances, an AI-generated session in which participants addressed messages to their future selves, and a mentoring talk with senior alumni.

Choi said South Korea aims to cultivate global talent at the intersection of academia, technology and culture.

“Through the Global Korea Scholarship program, we plan to further expand opportunities for future talent in advanced fields to study at Korea’s outstanding educational institutions,” Choi said, expressing hope that scholarship recipients would grow into global leaders grounded in their academic and personal experiences in Korea.