National Data Office names winners of 28th student statistics contest

The National Data Office announced Tuesday the results of the 28th National Student Statistics Utilization Contest, selecting 117 teams and three schools for awards.

The competition, which began in 1999, drew 1,640 teams comprising 244 elementary, 556 middle and 840 high school groups. Judging proceeded through three stages: a written review, a presentation round and in-depth interviews.

Grand prize winners in each category received a scholarship of 1 million won ($723) and an award from the education minister. Gold medalists were granted 500,000 won ($362) and an award from the data office chief, while silver and bronze recipients received certificates and scholarships. The three group award winners each received a plaque and 1 million won in research funding.

Maewon Elementary School in Gyeongbuk took the elementary division grand prize for "Our School Is Great, So Why Don't They Come?," which analyzed the advantages of small-scale schools and proposed strategies to increase enrollment. Yeongseon Middle School in Jeonbuk won the middle school category with "No Villains! Finding Our Team's Perfect Birth Order Combination," a study on optimizing team member combinations based on birth order.

In the high school division, the International School of Busan secured the top award for "You Say the Environment Is Important! Why Is 'That Day' Every Month an Exception?"

Lee Geun-baek, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University who chaired the judging panel, noted that participants demonstrated a strong understanding of data value and initiative in applying classroom statistics to real-life issues. "However, entries would improve if they offered more concrete recommendations based on their analysis results," Lee said.

Ahn Hyung-jun, head of the National Data Office, emphasized the growing importance of data literacy as a national growth engine in the artificial intelligence era. "As data becomes a new driver of growth for the nation and society in the AI age, this contest holds great significance by allowing students to experience data utilization capabilities," Ahn said. He pledged continued support to help the next generation communicate through data and discover new values.

Winning entries are available for public viewing on the contest website, and the grand prize teams have earned the right to represent South Korea at the International Statistical Poster Competition, which is held every two years.