The Korean Language Debate for Indonesian University Students returned this year, organized by the Korean Cultural Center Indonesia (KCCI) in collaboration with King Sejong Institute (KSI) Jakarta. This prestigious event serves as a platform for university students across Indonesia to showcase their fluency in Korean while honing their critical thinking skills.
Registration was open from 10 March to 11 April 2025, followed by interviews held on 16–17 April 2025. Participants who passed the interview stage competed in an online preliminary round on 9 May 2025. The six best-performing teams advanced to the semifinals and finals, which were held onsite on 23 May 2025 at CGV FX Sudirman, Jakarta.
The event officially opened with welcoming remarks from KCCI Director Mr. Kim Yong-Woon and KSI Jakarta Head Ms. Fifi Effendi. In their speeches, both emphasized that the competition was not only about finding proficient Korean speakers, but also about building students’ confidence and sharpening their critical thinking as they expressed opinions on contemporary issues.
The opening ceremony was followed by the introduction of the judging panel and the debate moderator. This year’s judges consisted of instructors from KSI Jakarta and KSI KCCI, along with an editor from the Pagi economic daily. The debate was moderated by Agatha Inez, who led the sessions with energy and professionalism.
After a rigorous selection process, six semifinalist teams were chosen from top universities including Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Petra Christian University (UK Petra), and BINUS University.
The 2025 competition was ultimately won by the team from FPBS UPI, consisting of Narisa Aulia Jasmine and Sapitri, both from the 2024 cohort. In addition to winning First Place, Sapitri was also named Best Speaker for her outstanding performance and compelling arguments throughout the debate.
This event is expected to continue as an annual platform that inspires Indonesian youth to explore Korean language and culture more deeply, while also strengthening their communication and critical thinking skills.