46 Years of Gyeongju School Trips Blocked by COVID-19 at Japan's Chiben Gakuen

Chiben Academy's Tradition of Sending School Trips to Gyeongju Since 1975 Canceled This Year

Last year on July 8th, at The-K Hotel in Gyeongju, Mayor Ju Nak-yeong of Gyeongju was delivering a greeting speech at the welcome meeting for the Chiben Academy school trip group.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Park Dong-wook] Despite the worst-ever Korea-Japan relations last year, a Japanese private school corporation that sent school trip groups to Gyeongju was unable to continue the 45-year tradition of Korea-Japan cultural exchange this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Gyeongju City on the 29th, Chiben Gakuen in Japan, which has visited Gyeongju every summer vacation for school trips, gave up visiting Korea this year. Although Gyeongju City and the academy have not officially exchanged intentions, the city explained that, considering the timing, this year's visit is effectively canceled.

Chiben Gakuen (Chairman Fujita Kiyoshi) is a prestigious private school in the Kansai region of Japan, established in 1964, operating eight elementary, middle, and high schools. It is a large academy with about 4,500 students and staff.

Even last year, when Korea-Japan relations worsened due to Japan's economic retaliation measures, the academy sent a school trip group consisting of 53 students and teachers from Nara High School, Nara College, and Wakayama High School to Gyeongju in July.

Following the belief of the late founding chairman Fujita Terukiyo, who emphasized the need for reflection on the Japanese colonial era and the establishment of a correct historical perspective among Japanese students, Chiben Gakuen has continued the Gyeongju school trip tradition every year since 1975, marking 45 consecutive years until last year.

A representative from Gyeongju City's International Cooperation Team said, "The current chairman of the academy must feel regret for not being able to uphold the 45-year tradition of school trips this year in honor of his father's wishes," adding, "We hope the COVID-19 situation will end soon so that the Chiben Gakuen school trip group can definitely visit next year."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.