Representing Viet Nam at the final round of HackTheon Sejong 2025 in the Republic of Korea, the HCMUS.Soju team – Phùng Siêu Đạt, Quách Tề Hoằng, Trần Đăng Khoa, and Trịnh Minh Huy from the Faculty of Information Technology, VNUHCM-University of Science – receiving the Excellence Prize (Second Place) and an award worth 1,000,000 KRW.

On 10 July 2025, the HCMUS.Soju team – representing the Computer Security Club of VNUHCM-University of Science (HCMUS) – excellently secured the Excellence Prize (Second Place) in the Beginner category at the final round of HackTheon Sejong 2025, held in Sejong City, Republic of Korea.

A Prestigious International Arena for Cybersecurity

HackTheon Sejong serves as a cybersecurity competition for university students, aiming to enhance critical thinking, technical reflexes, and practical problem-solving capacity within the field of information security. The competition was initiated by the Sejong municipal government to develop a highly skilled workforce and stimulate a dynamic cybersecurity industrial ecosystem.

First organised in 2022 as a national event, HackTheon Sejong expanded in 2023 into an international competition, attracting hundreds of student teams, particularly from Asia and Europe. The competition is professionally managed with online preliminary rounds, automated scoring systems, and rigorous supervision by experts from both academia and major cybersecurity enterprises.

Challenge formats follow the Jeopardy style, covering key areas such as vulnerability exploitation, malware analysis, cryptography, digital forensics, and system security – providing students with real-world exposure and opportunities to sharpen technical thinking and strategic response skills.

An Outstanding Achievement from the First Participation

In 2025, the online qualifying round attracted 466 teams from more than 180 universities across 32 countries. Following this stage, 40 top-performing teams were invited to the final round in Korea, split into two categories: Beginner and Advanced.

As one of the international representatives in the Beginner category, the HCMUS.Soju team showcased composure, strategic thinking, and robust expertise by continuously rising to the top ranks. Through focused engagement and seamless coordination, the team attained Second Place in the Beginner category.

The commendable result achieved by the HCMUS.Soju team at HackTheon Sejong 2025, especially as first-time participants, stemmed from serious academic commitment and sustained effort. This accomplishment serves as powerful evidence of international readiness, technical competence, and an unwavering pursuit of advanced knowledge among students of HCMUS.

As students from HCMUS continue reaching global academic arenas, each milestone reinforces the spread of scientific spirit, the value of genuine academic training, and the strategic direction toward sustainable development embraced by the university. These qualities are forming a solid foundation for the next generation to elevate Viet Nam’s presence on the global map of technology and cybersecurity.