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Fire Arrows Sweep Toward the Fortress Walls” by Yun Seok-ju won the top prize in the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

The top prize at the 40th weather and climate photography competition, organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), went to “Fire Arrows Sweep Toward the Fortress Walls” by Yun Seok-ju, who photographed the Jeju night sky in the fall when it was filled with the reflections of squid boat lights in the clouds.

Last Thursday, the KMA announced it had received 3,847 submissions in the competition and selected a total of 40 winners, including 37 in the photography category and three in the video category.

One work in the photography category received the grand prize, while gold honors were given to one work, silver to two others, and bronze to three others. The final placement was determined by the judges’ scores (50%) and the results of voting by the public (50%).

In the video category, three works received special prizes. This year marks the third time works have been honored in the video category, which was established with the 38th edition of the awards.

The grand prize-winning image “Fire Arrows Sweep Toward the Fortress Walls” was taken on Oct. 26 of last year. It shows what look like mysterious rays of light in the sky off the coast of Jeju City. The rays were actually a reflection of squid boat lights in the clouds.

The grand prize winner receives an award from the Minister of Environment and 5 million won (US$3,800) in prize money.

“One Roof, Two Families” by Kim Jin-heung won the gold prize in the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

The gold prize was given to “One Roof, Two Families” by Kim Jin-heung, whose image of the Seoul sunset was taken on July 17 at Namhan Fortress in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. It shows a moment when a localized downpour was taking place simultaneously next to beams of sunlight showering over Lotte World Tower in Seoul’s Songpa District.

Silver prizes were given to “The Typhoon’s Aftermath” by Jo Eun-ok, which shows a paved road crumpled like paper in the wake of Typhoon Hinnamnor last year, and “Waterspouts” by Yun Dae-cheol, who captured an image on his journey to the Vietnamese island of Phú Quốc showing one large waterspout swelling in the foreground while a smaller one also appears in the distance.

“The Typhoon’s Aftermath” by Jo Eun-ok won the silver prize in the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

“Waterspouts” by Yun Dae-cheol won the silver prize in the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

A bronze prize went to works including “K-BUS” by Yun Seong-jin, who showed a bus plowing through a road flooded by torrential rains last August.

“K-BUS” by Yun Seong-jin won a bronze prize at the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

In honor of World Meteorological Day on March 23, the KMA plans to exhibit the award-winning images from March 23 to 26 at the National Science Museum’s Science Alive Discovery Center in Daejeon and from March 23 to April 2 on the first basement level of the Government Complex Daejeon.

“Siege of the Goosefoot” by Ryu Mi-gyeong won a bronze prize at the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

“Parallel Clouds” by Kim Do-won won a bronze prize at the 40th weather and climate photography competition organized by the Korea Meteorological Administration. (courtesy of the KMA)

By Kim Yoon-ju, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]