This competition, a biannual event in Germany, attracts keen interest of young pianists and piano fans as it is one of the prestigious piano competitions in the world.

The final competition brought together 108 excellent young pianists (below 20 years old) from 26 countries and regions such as the DPRK, China, Poland, the Czech Republic, Indonesia, Britain, the U.S. and Japan who had been selected in the preliminaries.

The competition, divided into two groups, took place from Aug. 7 to 15.

12 years old Pak took the jury and experts by surprise and won their unreserved appreciation for successfully meeting music requirements with his high skill and flawless rendition.

At an awarding ceremony he who finished third received the Barenreiter Press Prize, a special prize traditionally awarded to a winner.

After emerging the only recipient of two prizes in the group Pak appeared at the concert of prize winners on Aug. 15, once again winning great appreciation of organizers of the competition and its jury and the audience.

The mayor of Ettlingen City and chairpersons of the organizing committee and the jury of the competition and participants of the competition were unanimous that it was natural for Pak from the DPRK, the youngest of the prize winners, to receive the special prize, expressing belief that he would become a world famous pianist.