Why Did Out-of-School Youths from Seongbuk-gu Visit Incheon Chinatown?

Published 03 Jul.2020 07:22(KST)

Seongbuk-gu Youth Support Center Kkumdeulim Conducts Field Trip on Chinese Humanities for Out-of-School Youth... Out-of-School Youth Experience Outdoor Activity After 6 Months Due to COVID-19 Restrictions

Why Did Out-of-School Youths from Seongbuk-gu Visit Incheon Chinatown?

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] Seongbuk-gu (Mayor Lee Seung-ro) conducted the "Nihao China!" depression relief program to prevent COVID-19 blues among out-of-school youth.

Held on the 30th of last month with six youths from Seongbuk-gu visiting Incheon Chinatown, "Nihao China!" is a program led by Seongbuk-gu Youth Support Center Kkumdeulim (hereafter Kkumdeulim) and Kookmin University Regional Literature Center. It helps out-of-school youth develop a globalized perspective by learning about and experiencing Chinese history and culture.

On the day of the program, participants experienced Chinese-style elements present in Korea, such as Korean-style Chinese food and housing types, learning about Chinese culture and origins, as well as the differences from Korean culture.

One youth who participated said, "I didn't know there were so many places related to China in Korea, and visiting the site and learning about Chinese humanities made it easier to understand."

They added, "I felt a lot of depression because I couldn't go outside due to COVID-19, but this helped relieve it a bit."

Lee Seung-ro, Mayor of Seongbuk-gu, said, "With opportunities for out-of-school youth to experience culture narrowing due to COVID-19, I hope the 'Nihao China!' program has greatly helped them gain a multifaceted perspective on culture."

Kkumdeulim conducts projects such as academic support, employment support, independence support, self-development support, and health support, and plans to continue providing various programs so that out-of-school youth can remain psychologically and physically healthy.