‘Deliberation and Communication’ Shine in the AI Era... Soongsil University Debate Club Wins Back-to-Back National Competitions

[Financial News] Soongsil University debate club Manjangilchi won the Grand Prize at a national debate competition testing critical thinking and communication skills, considered key competencies in the age of artificial intelligence (AI). Soongsil University announced on the 19th that all three teams from the club won awards at the Aegiae-ta Deliberative Debate Competition hosted by Heungsadan, with one team taking the Grand Prize and two receiving Encouragement Awards.
The competition was organized to develop the critical information-verification skills young people need in the AI era, as well as their ability to listen to others’ views and solve problems through deliberation. In the final, participants engaged in fierce debate on the topic, ‘AI basic income should be introduced,’ an issue that has recently drawn public attention.
The competition’s top honor, the Grand Prize, went to Isimjeonsim, a team comprising Won Jong-hyeon, a fourth-year student in the Department of Political Science and International Relations, and Choi Su-jeong, a third-year student in the Department of Law. Isimjeonsim secured the win in the final with strong arguments against a joint team from Sungkyunkwan University and Chung-Ang University. The other Soongsil teams, Jakjeonmyeong Cheongchun (Hwang Gyo-hyeon of the Department of Economics and Jang Jun-hong of the School of Business Administration) and Hantteut (Park Da-in of the Department of History and Lee Hyeong-won of the Department of Global Commerce), each received an Encouragement Award (fifth place nationwide). All three teams advanced to the quarterfinals and won awards.
Grand Prize winner Won Jong-hyeon said, “It was a demanding schedule, with six matches in a single day, but the debate experience I gained in the club and the format we use for debates on campus helped me a great deal at the competition.” Co-winner Choi Su-jeong also said, “Thanks to preparing and practicing with the other club members, I was able to give my best in every round and achieve a good result.”
Under the guidance of Professors Park Sam-yeol and Moon Yeong-sik of Baird College, Manjangilchi also won silver, bronze and Encouragement Awards at the Korea Open Debate Competition last September. With six awards across two consecutive competitions, Manjangilchi once again demonstrated its strong debating skills.

[email protected] Kim Man-gi Reporter