The APLN – Korea Times Essay Contest on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament in the Asia-Pacific

“Youth, Disarmament, and Peace in the Asia-Pacific Region”

Following the success of the 2020 APLN-Korea Times Essay Contest, APLN and the Korea Times are co-hosting another essay contest this year to engage the youth on topics of International Nuclear Governance and Emerging Nuclear Trends. This contest, supported by the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will provide students from around the world with the opportunity to share their unique perspectives on various nuclear issues.

Theme

The essays must address one of the two major themes below:

1. The NPT, TPNW and international nuclear governance

2. Emerging nuclear trends (new technologies, the future of arms control, big data, etc.)

Your essay may address one or more of the following questions:

• One of the chief objections to international treaties such as the NPT and TPNW is a lack of powerful enforcement mechanisms. Is effective enforcement of international agreements possible? If so, what would that enforcement look like? If not, how can effective international agreements be made?
• What are the possible cooperative threat reduction methods in the region?
• What would be the options for safe nuclear usage for peace development in the region?
• Emerging technologies stand poised to revolutionize many fields of human endeavor. Will new technologies intelligence make the world safer or more vulnerable to nuclear destruction?
• What are the emerging nuclear trends and their impact on nuclear issues in the region?

Eligibility

All graduate and undergraduate students irrespective of nationality or country of residence.

Guidelines

1. Essays must be between 800-1000* words in English.

2. There are no particular rules regarding formatting (font style, size, line space, etc.). However, essays must be submitted in both MS Word (DOC/DOCX) and PDF.

3. Essays must be submitted via email to apln@apln.network with the subject line “APLN-KT Essay Contest_Name”

4. Essays must be original and unpublished. Plagiarized entries will be rejected.

5. Essays must be written by one person. Co-authored essays are not accepted.

*Your name and essay title are not included in the word count limit.

Deadline

All essays must be submitted by September 30 (Thursday) 23:59 KST.

*Essays that do not comply with the guidelines will be disqualified.

Awards

Six winners will be selected and announced by early November, followed by an Award ceremony in late November (tentative*).

The winners will receive a monetary prize, a certificate, and their work will be published by the APLN and The Korea Times.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Award (1): 2,000,000 KRW.
The Korea Times Award (1): 1,000,000 KRW.
APLN Award (1): 1,000,000 KRW.
Honorable Mentions (3): 500,000 KRW

The selected winners will be contacted separately by APLN staff. Please note that the monetary prize will be sent via wire transfer. Winners residing outside of ROK will receive the monetary prize in USD following the exchange rate on the date of transaction.

*The Award ceremony is subject to change depending on COVID-19 situation in Seoul, ROK.

 

Contact Information

Sungmin Andrew CHOI

Program Officer, APLN

Phone: 070-4866-0796

Email: choism@apln.network

302, 102 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, ROK, 03169