“Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest” and presentation of “My life in Korea,” etc. for foreigner students

Enjoyed the festival with traditional dances and songs of the world as well as Korean traditional plays including stick throwing 

Understanding of Korean language and culture and strengthening sense of belonging by foreigner students

[October 28, 2022]

PSPS of YU (President CHOI Oe-chool) held “2022 Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest & Global Saemauler Festival.” It is a global cultural festival provided for foreigner students to enhance their understanding of Korean language and culture and to strengthen their sense of belonging.

In Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest held in YU Fork Village held in the morning on 28th, 11 foreigner students of YU PSPS from five countries including Indonesia, Myanmar, Sierra Leone, etc. participated.Foreign students made Korean presentations with such subjects as “What is Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul for me?” and “My life in Korea,” “The happiest time in my life,” etc.

<A foreigner student of PSPS makes a presentation in Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest>

In the contest, Supriyadi Slamet (3rd Master’s of Department of Sustainable Development) from Indonesia ranked 1st place with a presentation on the subject of “What is Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul for me?” Ms Supriyadi Slamet expressed her feeling by saying, “I am learning Korean language through a Korean language class in graduate school. It seems that I could get a good result with significantly enhanced ability in Korean language during preparations for this Korean speech contest.   I’d like to enjoy this global festival with Korean traditional plays with foreign students studying at YU with me together.

<Winners of Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest>

Next to Saemaul Spirit Korean Speech Contest, Global Saemauler Festival was held in the afternoon.More than 70 persons consisting of students and professors of PSPS and students of YU Saemaul Club had the opportunities to enjoy Korean traditional plays such as stick throwing, Jegi kick, hoop roll, and arm wrestling, etc. Also, foreigner students from many foreign countries had an opportunity to understand others’ cultures by showing traditional dances and songs of them and by showing fashion shows with their traditional clothes.

<Foreigner students of PSPS enjoy stick throwing, a Korean traditional play>

<Foreigner students of PSPS enjoy Jegi kick, a Korean traditional play>

Dean LEE Hee-wook of YU PSPS prepared the event and said, “They would have an opportunity to experience easiness of Korean characters and to upgrade their Korean ability by writing and presenting their experiences in Korean language which they obtained during studying in Korea. I hope that they may have an opportunity to approach Korean culture more by experiencing Korean traditional culture at the festival. I hope that they may have an opportunity to experience diverse Korean culture and to get good memories as well as enhancing their Korean ability and major knowledge of Saemaul during studying at YU PSPS.

<Foreigner students of Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul  enjoy Korean traditional culture, Samulnori performance>

Meanwhile, Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul (PSPS) of YU was founded in 2011 to cultivate Saemaul leaders of developing countries. Foreign students studying in PSPS consist of public officials planning policies in respective countries, employees of public institutions, social activists, and professional workers, etc. differently from students of faculties or graduate schools. They study Korean language and complete master's degree courses during a relatively short 18-month study period and YU has been providing Korean Speech Contest and Korean culture experience events to supply them with wider experiences in Korean culture.Now, 43 foreigner students from 19 countries such as Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia, Indonesia, Colombia, and Costa Rica, etc. are studying and, until now, 724 persons from 66 countries received master’s degrees in Saemaul Study and are working as main policy establishers, international development professionals, and Saemaul Undong leaders in central ministries/offices, public institutions, and international development NGOs, etc.