Held at the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo, students competed in three categories including a speech contest and short plays in Korean, and an essay test in Japanese. Juries awarded 15 students with prizes that included free trips to Korea and Korean-language programs at Kyung Hee University in Seoul.

All finalists were also given admission advantages for Ritsumeikan University, the group said.

Kumho Asiana believes that the event plays an important role in strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries and forging future ties.

"We will continue to hold the contest to create a communication channel between Korean and Japanese teenagers and widen their mutual interests,” an official said.

The contest is part of Kumho Asiana’s efforts to build friendship between Japan and Korea.

Last year, the group’s chairman Park Sam-koo led the steering committee of a state-funded cultural event to keep business ties alive amid strained diplomatic relations over historic and territorial disputes. A group of 1,400 Japanese officials, business representatives and travel agents were invited.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)