Youth attending the lecture "World Citizenship Education - Vietnam" at the auditorium of the Seoul Global Youth Education Center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu District on Sept. 11 make the famous Vietnamese sandwich banh mi.

By Margareth Theresia
Photos = Lee Jeongwoo

Sept. 11 at 1 p.m. at the auditorium of the Seoul Global Youth Education Center in the capital's Yeongdeungpo-gu District. Students cut open bread, stuff it, and place cilantro and carrot pickles on top. They laugh when one of them spills the filling and look at each other's plates to check flavor.

This was the scene at the lecture "Global Citizenship Education – Vietnam" on Vietnamese culture and making the Southeast Asian country's famous sandwich banh mi. Seeing each other's expressions, around 20 young people dubbed "mid-entry" youth living in Korea learned about an unfamiliar culture.

Mid-entry youth refers to the children of multicultural families, ethnic Koreans from overseas, foreign professionals and permanent residents who grew up abroad and followed their parents to Korea. They also include those born in a third country to North Korean defectors or expats.

Such youth often struggle to access public education in Korea given the language barrier, low understanding of the educational system, and cultural and identity conflicts. Even after gaining admission to schools, many drop out due to trouble keeping up academically or adapting to school life.

This is why the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the Seoul Global Youth Education Center.

Shin Hye Young, director of the Seoul Global Youth Education Center, on Sept. 11 explains her facility's social role at the center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu District.

Director Shin Hye Young described her center as "a key support facility to help immigrant youth settle into Korean society and access public education," adding, "In addition to Korean-language education, we also offer a variety of programs including cultural experiences, career exploration and general counseling to help them adapt to society."

What differentiates the center from others is its preparatory classes for the general equivalency exam for a high school diploma. Such support allows the youth to pursue university studies after high school.

The center carefully designs and runs all programs to ensure the most comfortable and safe space for students. Staff are often the first and closest friends of such youth after their arrival in Korea.

Shin Hye Young, director of the Seoul Global Youth Education Center, on Sept. 11 shows works created by youth through club activities at the facility in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo-gu District.

The number of mid-entry youth entering the country has risen every year. The city government said the figure more than doubled in just 10 years from 5,604 in 2014 to 11,987 last year, showing the increasingly important role of the center.

"The youth activities at the center go beyond simple programs and offer opportunities for students to recognize themselves as part of Korean society and restore their self-esteem," Shin said. "I hope they develop into active members of society."

margareth@korea.kr