Invitation to Developing Countries... Planting the 'Saemaul Undong DNA' Worldwide

Government Strengthens 'Global Saemaul Undong'
Invites 45 Countries for Training This Year
Establishes 56 Villages in 13 Countries Including Tanzania

The government is strengthening the 'Global Saemaul Undong' by expanding training programs for public officials and pilot villages targeting underdeveloped countries overseas.

On the 4th, the government announced these measures at the 16th 'Public Livelihood Discussion with the People' held at Kyungpook National University in Daegu, presided over by President Yoon Suk-yeol.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety has been promoting the Saemaul Undong to the international community since 2009. By last year, over 13,000 Saemaul leaders had been trained in 74 countries, and 104 pilot villages were established in 22 countries, strengthening the self-reliance capabilities of residents and local communities in underdeveloped countries and encouraging the spread of Saemaul Undong within recipient countries.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This year, the government plans to designate Uganda and Cambodia as continental hub countries for Saemaul Undong and dispatch agricultural experts to local training centers to enhance on-site education. In the future, the government intends to expand hub countries by continent to include Latin America, Central Asia, and Pacific island nations.

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety stated that it plans to diversify the base of Saemaul Undong through initiatives such as Youth Future Saemaul Undong and All-day Complete Care Villages, and to cultivate outstanding talents from underdeveloped countries as Saemaul leaders by expanding invitation training and pilot villages. This year, 650 people from 45 countries will be invited for training to share Saemaul Undong development experiences and provide technical education for overseas residents and public officials. Since 2009, a total of 13,329 foreigners from 74 countries have received invitation training through last year.

Saemaul pilot villages are being established in 56 villages across 13 countries including Tanzania and Tajikistan. In the initial phase, the focus is on environmental improvements such as roof repairs and construction of village halls, and as conditions mature, small-scale projects such as livestock banks and village savings banks will begin. The budget for pilot village projects this year is 1.446 billion KRW, about 40 million KRW more than last year.

An official from the Ministry of the Interior and Safety said, "Through customized Global Saemaul Undong projects, we will contribute to the national goal of becoming a 'global pivotal country contributing to freedom, peace, and prosperity' and the realization of global values, and we will establish a close cooperative system with partner countries to ensure that Saemaul Undong continues as a global warmth-sharing activity."

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