Kim Dong-yeon Visits Washington University to Discuss Ways to Enhance Youth Business Cooperation

Gyeonggi Province Governor Kim Dong-yeon is shaking hands with Ana Mari Cauce, President of the University of Washington, in the president's office located in Seattle on the 10th (local time).

Kim Dong-yeon, Governor of Gyeonggi Province, who is visiting the North American region to strengthen international exchange cooperation and attract overseas investment, met with Ana Mari Cauce, President of the University of Washington, to request cooperation for the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program.

Governor Kim also expressed his gratitude to the Korean Student Association at the University of Washington, which participated as mentors in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program last year, and had an honest conversation on various topics such as climate, communication, and issues with social media.

On the 10th (local time), Governor Kim met with President Ana Mari Cauce at the University of Washington president’s office in Seattle to discuss ways to enhance cooperation on youth projects between Gyeonggi Province and the University of Washington.

Governor Kim said, "I hope that cooperation between Korea and the United States will be further strengthened not only in education but also in culture, economy, and human exchange," adding, "We will send Gyeonggi youth again this year. Please take great interest and help them gain diverse experiences."

He continued, "The youth who visited last year talked a lot about their experiences with Amazon, whose headquarters is in Seattle, and the wonderful nature of Washington State," and added, "They are also very grateful for the kindness and guidance of the students who acted as mentors."

President Ana Mari Cauce responded, "We strive to provide participants with information on various routes and tips for safe travel," explaining, "Because learning outside can sometimes be more than learning inside the classroom."

She further explained her plans, saying, "This year, we will arrange a tour of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia and, if possible, organize a special lecture by a legislator."

The University of Washington participated in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program last year. The ‘Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program’ is a flagship youth policy of the 8th elected Governor Kim Dong-yeon, aimed at providing ‘more equal opportunities’ to young people.

The program offers young people overseas university training experiences to motivate career development and provides opportunities to challenge social mobility. Last year, 200 young people from Gyeonggi Province participated in a four-week training program at five universities, including the University of Michigan in the U.S., during July and August. Thirty-nine participants trained at the University of Washington.

This year, Gyeonggi Province will conduct the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program at a total of nine universities in the U.S., Australia, and other countries, including the University of Washington. Thirty young people will participate in the program at the University of Washington from July 8 to 26.

Taking this visit as an opportunity, Gyeonggi Province will jointly explore ways to expand exchanges with the University of Washington in the fields of youth, artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and clean energy research institutes.

Following the meeting with the University of Washington president, Governor Kim held a roundtable with students belonging to the University of Washington Korean Student Association. The meeting was organized to express gratitude to the Korean Student Association at the University of Washington, which participated in local mentoring for the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program last year, with 18 student leaders attending.

The roundtable lasted about one hour and 20 minutes in a question-and-answer format between the students and Governor Kim. The atmosphere was consistently serious, ranging from light questions such as which Korean professional baseball team they support to in-depth questions about responses to the climate crisis.

Seo Hyun-jun, president of the Korean Student Association who hosted the roundtable, said, "Last year, eight members of the student association participated as mentors in the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program. The Gyeonggi youth who joined us praised it as a dreamlike time, which made us feel rewarded," adding, "It seems that many young people have found new goals through the Gyeonggi Youth Ladder Program. I hope such programs will continue to be promoted with various countries and schools in the future."

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