Korea.net has 3,432 Honorary Reporters from 105 countries who share news and stories on Korea in nine languages. They send Korea-related news from their neighborhoods to Korea.net and share articles posted on our site through their social media accounts. The following are three highlighted stories posted by such reporters last week.
In the third week of January, Honorary Reporter articles introduced places worldwide that teach Korean culture, including schools in France for instruction in the Korean language and culture and centers in Korea to help foreign residents settle in the country.
Honorary Reporter Danielle Tartaruga from France on Jan. 5 conducted a written interview with Noh Sunju, a teacher at a Korean school in Dijon, the capital of the Cote-d'Or region of eastern France. The article described such schools in the country and their programs.
Affiliated with the education section of the Korean Embassy in Paris, the schools seek to promote Korean and support the education of ethnic Koreans living aboard. Sixteen such schools offer not only classes in Korean but also other programs such as those on kimjang (process and culture of making kimchi), Korean culture and events for ethnic Korean adoptees.
Noh called the schools "a cultural bridge that links Korea with other countries," adding, "They play an important role in helping not only Korean residents overseas but also foreign nationals learn more about the world and Hallyu (Korean Wave)."
A Korean culture workshop is held by the Korean school in Dijon, France. (Noh Sun-ju)
Honorary Reporter Tong Thi My Linh from Vietnam wrote about her experience with a job search program in Daejeon for foreign residents. The program provided essential information on job interviews such as what to wear and the proper attitude, and participants received advice from experts after mock interviews.
"It was a productive time to learn how to write resumes and cover letters, things that many expats find difficult," Tong said.
"I appreciate the center's work in creating support programs for expats," she added. "Hopefully, more people come and get help at the center."
An expat support center in Daejeon holds a mock interview. (Daejeon Support Center for Foreign Residents)
In the article, Fernandez elaborated on what taekwondo's world governing body does to advance the style as a cultural industry. "It was meaningful to visit the mecca of taekwondo," she said. "It is an inspiring place for those who want to learn about the country's culture and history through martial arts."
Kukkiwon, the famed headquarters of World Taekwondo, is located in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District (Claudia Fernandez)