Gangwon Rural Study-Abroad Program to Offer On-Site Consultations at 'Y-FARM EXPO 2026'

The Gangwon Provincial Office of Education will participate in the "Y-FARM EXPO 2026," which will be held at the Suwon Convention Center in Gyeonggi Province for three days from April 24 to 26. At the event, the office will operate a promotional booth for rural study-abroad programs and provide on-site consultation sessions for parents in the Seoul metropolitan area.

A view of Gangwon Provincial Office of Education.

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During the event, activities will include providing information on the Gangwon Rural Study-Abroad Program, introducing unique curricula for each participating school and region, explaining the application process and procedures, and offering customized one-on-one counseling for parents. Through consultations focused on real-life cases and the educational environment, the office aims to help parents better understand the program and to support immediate on-site counseling for those interested.

The Gangwon Rural Study-Abroad Program allows students and parents from urban areas to live in rural regions for a certain period, experiencing a nature-friendly educational environment and distinctive curricula. Since its pilot launch in 2023, the program has rapidly expanded. As of the first semester of the 2026 academic year, 63 schools are participating with 535 students enrolled, representing about a 16-fold increase compared to the program's initial phase.

According to a survey conducted in 2025, the program satisfaction scores evaluating the educational effectiveness of the Gangwon Rural Study-Abroad Program averaged 4.43 out of 5 for participating students and 4.62 for local students, indicating a high level of satisfaction among both groups.

Meanwhile, the Gangwon Provincial Office of Education plans to strengthen its promotional efforts targeting the Seoul metropolitan area through this expo and to further expand the rural study-abroad program as a sustainable educational option.

Seo Jongchul, Director of Policy Planning, stated, "We will actively support parents so they can directly understand and engage with the policy through on-site consultations, encouraging their participation."

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