Meteorological Administration Rescinds Grand Prize Due To Rule Violation

SEOUL, South Korea — The South Korean Meteorological Administration has made headlines by rescinding the grand prize for the 42nd Weather and Climate Photography and Video Contest just five days after the announcement. The photograph, titled 'Water Stream,' captured by photographer A, was deemed to have violated contest regulations concerning eligibility.

On March 12, 2025, the Meteorological Administration proudly revealed A's work as the grand prize winner, alongside 40 additional entries. The winning photograph depicted stunning images of water streams forming atop Jiri Mountain as fog rolled down, creating what appeared to be streams of water. It painted an enchanting scene, steeped deeply in nature's wonder, capturing the attention of many.

Despite the excitement generated by the contest, the afterglow was short-lived. Shortly after the announcement, the art community and social media audiences started raising questions about the validity of the submission. Users pointed out discrepancies with the filming date of the winning image.

Upon investigation, the Meteorological Administration confirmed the authenticity concerns raised by the public. They found out A had manipulated the photo's metadata to falsely suggest compliance with submission protocols. The rules dictated all entries needed to be captured within the last three years, explicitly stating only photographs taken after January 1, 2022, were eligible. Unfortunately for A, 'Water Stream' was actually captured on August 25, 2018, at 6:13 AM, far exceeding the eligibility period.

On March 17, 2025, the Meteorological Administration announced the cancellation of the award, making it clear there would be no grand prize winner for this edition of the contest. "The grand prize for the image 'Water Stream' was rescinded by the Meteorological Administration after they realized the photo's capture date was manipulated," explained the Meteorological Administration.

The contest, which was expected to showcase the incredible talent within South Korea and promote awareness of weather phenomena through artistry, now stands as cautionary for future contests. The Meteorological Administration revealed not only the withdrawal of the grand prize but also emphasized their commitment to transparency. They stated they would conduct more rigorous verifications and evaluations during the operational processes of future contests.

Further, they plan to implement continuous monitoring of entries even after the announcement of winners to mitigate any recurrence of incidents like this. "We will strengthen verification and evaluation during the contest operation and continuously monitor entries even after the award announcement to prevent recurrence of similar cases," reaffirmed the Meteorological Administration.

With the cancelation of the grand prize, the roster now adjusts to 39 award-winning entries. This will mean reorganization for the planned offline exhibition, which is set to continue as scheduled, showcasing exceptional works yet to be acknowledged.

This incident highlights the importance of integrity and transparency within competitive environments, especially those advocating for community engagement and artistic expression. The grand prize drama may serve as a wake-up call about the necessity of strict adherence to guidelines, aimed at preserving the credibility of such contests.

The Meteorological Administration is hopeful the outcome of this event will lead to improved standards and inspire greater artistic contributions from participants adhering to the rules. The disappointment of losing the grand prize does not overshadow the achievements of other photographers who remain poised for recognition.

Moving forward, the Meteorological Administration reassures both participants and fans of the arts their commitment to righting the ship and constructing safeguards to uphold the values of fairness and authenticity.