On March 24th and 25th, 2017, the Korean Mock Trial Association (KMTA), in conjunction with the Yale Mock Trial Association (YMTA), hosted Korea’s national mock trial competition in the Coex Convention Hall. Twice a year, the two associations coordinate their efforts to fund two to three members of the YMTA to travel on an all-expense paid trip to Seoul. They act as both judge and jury during the tournaments. The team that places first is invited to represent South Korea at the U.S. National High School Mock Trial Championship.

 

Eight competitive teams that consisted of 6-8 students each took part in KMTA's 2017 Winter Tournament. The Korean high schools that were represented by these teams include Korea International School, Gyeonggi Academy of Foreign Languages, and Hanyoung Foreign Language High School. Throughout the two days that this tournament was held, all eight teams competed in four intensive rounds, demonstrating their talents as both witnesses and attorneys. However, only one team was able to claim first place: Team K from Korea International School.
 

Regardless of rankings and individual awards, however, all teams were able to educate themselves more on the American legal system that this competition was based on. The process of preparation itself in addition to the constructive feedback from qualified veterans all came together to form a significant learning experience for all participants. In order to grasp a better understanding of the role mock trial plays in the life of Korean students, an interview was conducted with Yujeong Lee, the president of the KIS Mock Trial Club.

 

What were some hardships you faced during your preparation for this competition, and how did you overcome them?
A hardship I faced was balancing my values with team performance. I've always vocalized active rookie training and advocated for more interaction with underclassmen. Taking on rookies is helpful in the long term, but in point-based wins and losses, I knew I was adding stakes to the team ranking. However, from what I saw this tournament, there is much we can learn from rookies; they are capable of performing well with the right guidance, so on a personal note, I hope that in the future, our values still lie in making sure we guide new members to their untouched potential. I hope I can come back one day to see the rookies from this competition leading their teams to the best.

 

I learned from this experience that the most important thing in a team is cooperation and comprehension. During the last round, I had insisted that I deliver the closing statement. I will never forget how our freshman rookie and newbie, Karen, said she really wanted to close. She asked if I didn't trust her with it. Of course I did, but how was I going to show it? I let her close. I’m sure lots of competitors would’ve disagreed with my decision, but for me, there was nothing more important during this tournament than the harmony of our team. Through the ups and downs, everyone always had something positive to say. I hope to cherish that, and I hope the team cherishes it as well - for whatever waits ahead.

 

Mock trial has been gaining popularity these past few years, but it still remains relatively unknown compared to other public speaking activities such as debate and Model United Nations (MUN). KMTA is one of the few large-scale mock trial competitions one can find in Korea. Hopefully, more high school students will learn of the valuable experiences that one can gain from participating in mock trial.

 

 

 

Minjee Kristin Kim

9th Grade

Korea International School