Park Youn-jae, Korean winner of the best young talent award and winner of the 1st scholarship, performs his classical variation during the final of the 53rd Prix de Lausanne, in Lausanne, Switzerland, Feb. 8. EPA-Yonhap

Korea's Park Youn-jae has won the top prize at a prestigious ballet competition for young dancers in Switzerland, becoming the first Korean ballerino to place first at the competition.

The 16-year-old came in first at the 2025 Prix de Lausanne at the Beaulieu Theatre in the Swiss city on Saturday, according to the competition's website.

It marked the first time a male Korean dancer won the competition's top award. Famed ballerina Kang Sue-jin was the first Korean to win an award at the competition in 1985.

The Prix de Lausanne is considered one of the most prestigious ballet competitions in the world, with participants aged 15 to 18 eligible to enter. (Yonhap)