"We've Been Honing Our Skills All Year"... Why Vietnam's Top Korean Studies Universities Wait for September [Southeast Asia Under the Microscope]

[HANOI, Vietnam—Kim Jun-seok, Correspondent]"Machines may accumulate and process information faster than humans, but they ultimately cannot imitate the ability to empathize with the pain of others and embrace the vulnerable."The final round of the Korean-major category in the general division of the '2026 Republic of Korea Ambassador's Cup Vietnam National Korean Speech Contest' was held at Korean International School, Hanoi, on the 26th. Le Duc Thinh, a student in the Korean Language Department at Hanoi University and the grand prize winner, identified "human empathy and inclusion" as values needed in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). His message was that the more AI technology advances, the more important the human role becomes in caring for those left behind by its benefits.
When asked whether people would no longer need to learn foreign languages as AI advances, Thinh, who majors in Korean, clearly expressed his view. "Learning a language is not simply the process of acquiring speech," he said. "The reason we learn languages is to understand and convey the thoughts and feelings of people who use different languages."
A total of 94 institutions participated in this year's contest, now in its fifth year: 28 universities, 49 middle and high schools, and 17 King Sejong Institutes from across Vietnam. The number of participating institutions rose from 50 in 2022 to 64 in 2023, 66 in 2024, 77 in 2025 and 94 this year.
After advancing through institutional preliminaries and the northern and southern regional finals held in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, 18 contestants took the final stage that day. They competed in three categories—the middle and high school division, the general non-Korean-major division and the general Korean-major division—and presented their thoughts and dreams in Korean on the themes "My Bucket List" and "What We Need in the Age of AI."
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam plans to offer the grand prize winners in the Korean-major and non-Korean-major general divisions the opportunity to study Korean at Ewha Womans University for six months. The winner of the middle and high school division will receive an opportunity to travel to Korea provided by the Korea Tourism Organization.
The general Korean-major division, which drew large numbers of Korean-language and Korean studies majors, resembled an inter-university championship. The reputations of Vietnam's leading Korean-language and Korean studies institutions—including the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam National University, Hanoi; Hanoi University; and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City—were at stake.
One professor who attended to cheer for the students said, "The Ambassador's Cup Korean Speech Contest is essentially a high-stakes showdown for the honor of each university's Korean department. The enthusiasm is so strong that students and faculty prepare for the contest together throughout the year."
On the stage addressing what people need in the age of AI, speakers voiced repeated reflections on the human role alongside technological progress.
Le Huy Duc Anh, a student in the Korean Studies Department at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, identified "the willingness to understand people" as a value needed in the age of AI. "If you give AI a blank, it will soon fill in the answer, but there are blanks in the human heart that cannot be filled with answers," Anh said. "While AI searches for answers, I will look to people."
Anh's juniors, seniors and classmates from the department gathered to cheer for him and drew attention by creating their own banner and mounting an enthusiastic show of support.
Contestants who presented on the theme of bucket lists shared stories from their lives that were not easy to bring up, sometimes fighting back tears as they spoke.
Lu Tuyet Nhi, a student in the Korean Studies Department at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam National University, Ho Chi Minh City, likened her life to an hourglass and named hiking, dancing and traveling with her mother as items on her bucket list.
Her sincerity was especially evident when she spoke about traveling with her mother. After her mother, who raised two daughters alone for more than 20 years, recently underwent major surgery, Nhi realized how precious the family time she had taken for granted truly was. "Before it is too late, I will definitely take a trip to the sea with my mother," Nhi said, her voice breaking. Warm applause erupted from the judges and the audience.
Phan Thanh Cuong, a contestant in the general non-Korean-major division, named a trip to Nami Island as one of his three bucket-list items. He learned about Nami Island because his mother likes the Korean drama 'Winter Sonata.' After learning that he was studying Korean, she told him, "It would be nice to go there someday," which inspired him. For Cuong, Nami Island became more than a tourist destination; it became a memory he wanted to give his mother.
Doan Nguyen Phuong Linh, who represented Hanoi King Sejong Institute 2, said, "I want to receive a language-training scholarship at Ewha Womans University and become a Korean Air flight attendant." Dressed as Cinderella, Linh took the stage and introduced her three wishes in the form of a one-person play featuring a conversation with a fairy godmother, capturing the audience's attention.
At the final round, the current lives of past winners were also introduced, alongside the stories of this year's contestants. 
Ha Thu Hoai, the winner of the Korean-major category in the general division at the inaugural contest in 2022, now works at Samsung Electronics. The experience of sharing her story in Korean on the contest stage led to academic studies and various experiences in Korea. She is now forging a new path at a Korean company operating in Vietnam.
Le Thuy Trang, the 2023 winner of the middle and high school division, is now continuing her studies at Seoul National University. Her first visit to Korea, made possible by the trip provided as part of her contest prize, gave her greater confidence in studying Korean. She later pursued the new goal of enrolling at Seoul National University.
Tran Thu Tam, the 2024 winner of the Korean-major category in the general division, now works at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Vietnam. What began with the Korean speech contest developed beyond an interest in Korean into a role connecting Korea and Vietnam in the field of diplomacy and exchanges.
Nguyen Bao Tri, the 2025 winner of the general non-Korean-major division, and Nguyen Minh Chau, the winner of the general Korean-major division that year, are now studying Korean at Ewha Womans University after receiving contest awards.
Miyon Lee, ambassador to Vietnam, said, "The Ambassador's Cup Korean Speech Contest, which has grown alongside Vietnamese Korean-language learners, has now reached its fifth year. As demand for Korean in Vietnam is increasing significantly, with Korean being selected as a first foreign language in Vietnam's formal education curriculum, we will actively support Korean learners so that they can study the language in better conditions."
[Southeast Asia Under the Microscope] is a feature that delivers vivid, in-depth coverage from the region of major issues and behind-the-scenes news in Southeast Asia, which has emerged as a key strategic hub for global supply chains and diplomacy and security.
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