Media Coverage

seoul--(Newswire) November 1, 2019 -- World Educational Cultural Aid, Blue Dream Vision School, Ewha Womans University Multicultural Research Institute, Overseas Korean Rescue Group, and Diaspora Research Institute held an academic seminar on ‘Language/Culture Education for Children of Overseas Koreans and Immigrant Backgrounds’ for educators and related executives and staff targeting children from major multi-ethnic and multicultural families in Korea at ECC Lee Sam-bong Hall of Ewha Womans University on Thursday, October 31.

About 100 people attended this seminar, including Professor Han-up Jang of Ewha Womans University, Professor Tae-hyun Song, Professor Jae-won Bae, Professor Jeong Ki-seop of Inha University, Director Jae-seok Kwak of the Immigrant Policy Development Institute, Dr. Bong-soo Park of the Diaspora Research Institute, and Jeong-hak Choi, principal of Blue Dream Vision School.

At the presentation on research on the topic of language/cultural education for children of immigrant backgrounds, in the first session, Professor Jang Han-up of Ewha Womans University presented the case of France, in the second session, Professor Gi-seop Jeong of Inha University presented the case of Germany, and in the third session, Professor Bae Jae-won of Ewha Womans University gave a research presentation on the case of children of immigrants living overseas in Korea.

Ewha Womans University Professor Jang Han-eop, Song Tae-hyun, Kwak Jae-seok, director of the Immigrant Policy Development Research Institute, Park Bong-soo, director of the Diaspora Research Institute, and Choi Jeong-hak, principal of Blue Dream Vision School, held a general discussion. Professor Han-eop Jang of Ewha Womans University emphasized, “In the era of multiculturalism, Korea’s excellent human resources should be for ‘international use’ rather than ‘domestic use.’” He added, “For the establishment of healthy language/cultural education and mutual cultural education for overseas Koreans and children of immigrant backgrounds, significant revisions to the existing foreign language education policy are necessary.”

WECA, the World Educational Cultural Aid, which hosted this academic seminar, has played a role in nurturing talent and instilling the will for self-reliance through educational support and cultural exchange in poor countries around the world. In addition, in Korea, we have been carrying out education projects for children of multicultural families and North Korean defector youth, and we plan to expand education support for Korean children and education support projects for ‘out-of-school youth’.

Bang Jeong-hwan, executive director of the World Educational Cultural Aid, said, “It is very meaningful for academia, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and private companies to work together to closely examine and communicate with the education issues of Koreans living overseas and children of immigrant backgrounds. We will need to do a lot of activities in the field of education and culture in preparation for the multicultural era that will come in earnest in the future.”

World Educational Cultural Aid Overview

WECA, the World Educational Cultural Aid, is an NGO under the Ministry of Education and was established in July 2006 by its founder, Dr. Jaesik Oh, to improve the poor educational and cultural environment in underdeveloped countries. It is actively engaged in educational support campaigns and 1:1 child sponsorships in various parts of the world, including South Sudan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, and Kyrgyzstan. Detailed information can be found on the website.

Website: http://www.weca.or.kr