Visit to Neru University Korean Language Department
Efforts to Attract Outstanding Indian Talent to Gyeongbuk
Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province visited the University of Delhi in India on the 23rd and held a special lecture and an international student recruitment briefing session for local university students.
This visit was promoted to attract Indian university students, known worldwide as some of the most outstanding talents, at a time when exchanges between Korea and India are gradually expanding in celebration of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The goal is to strengthen the global competitiveness of regional universities and connect this to future employment at Gyeongbuk companies, thereby leading the local era with the power of new talents.
Lee Cheol-woo, Governor of Gyeongbuk Province, giving a special lecture at the University of Delhi, India.
This was Governor Lee’s first special lecture at a foreign university since taking office, which appears to be a direct initiative by Gyeongbuk Province as the era of ‘local universities’ has officially begun, with authority over local universities recently transferred to local governments.
The University of Delhi in India is a world-renowned institution with over 100 years of history and tradition. It has produced notable alumni such as the current Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and has about 24,000 students enrolled across 16 faculties and 87 departments.
Governor Lee delivered a lecture titled “More Opportunities, Better Environments K-Dream!” focusing on the message that the Korean Dream can be realized in Gyeongbuk. Notably, he gave the 40-minute special lecture in English, making great efforts to communicate with the university students.
The lecture hall at the University of Delhi, with nearly 600 seats, was filled with local students and faculty members, creating an atmosphere full of enthusiasm.
Starting his lecture by saying, “Korea and India, especially Gyeongbuk, have long-standing cultural and historical ties such as the Confucian value of filial piety and the history of the independence movement,” Governor Lee emphasized, “The remarkable growth story of South Korea, called a miracle from one of the poorest countries to one of the world’s top 10 trading nations, included the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) that began in Gyeongbuk.” He then introduced the global Korean Wave culture, including K-Pop and K-food.
Furthermore, he actively promoted Gyeongbuk’s key industries, local companies, and the excellence of regional universities, stating, “South Korea and Gyeongsangbuk-do are the centers of future technologies leading the 4th Industrial Revolution era, such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, electric vehicles, and the metaverse.” He stressed, “If Indian university students, known worldwide as outstanding talents, come to Gyeongbuk, it will create great synergy.”
During the subsequent study abroad briefing session, the unique foreigner support policies of Gyeongbuk and the excellent degree and language programs of regional universities were introduced to ensure that students coming to study in Gyeongbuk would face no inconvenience from moving in to employment and settlement, receiving a great response.
In particular, there was high interest among students in the Gyeongbuk-type invitation scholarship system (R-GKS) being prepared to attract outstanding overseas talents at the master’s and doctoral levels, as well as the region-specific visa that allows for quick and simplified issuance of residence visas (F-2).
Gyeongbuk Province is promoting a foreigner community model that includes stable settlement support measures for foreigners and resolves inconveniences such as having to leave Korea due to visa issues through the introduction of region-specific visa policies.
First, they are establishing a recruitment and settlement system through the R-GKS program and global Korean language schools, and promoting customized talent development linked to Gyeongbuk’s key industries and universities.
They support the issuance of residence visas (F-2) through the Gyeongbuk Visa Center and strive to provide legal counseling and resolve workplace difficulties for foreigners related to employment.
Additionally, they provide settlement support services linked with the Gyeongbuk Family Center. With detailed planning including interpretation services, mentoring services by earlier immigrants, support for children’s learning, and care services, they aim to create an inclusive community society for foreigners visiting Gyeongbuk.
Currently, there are about 12,000 Indians residing in Korea (as of 2021), mainly graduate students in basic science fields, and young talents from India are active in various fields such as IT and automobiles.
Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk is visiting the Korean Language Department at Nehru University in India and interacting with the students.
Governor Lee’s next schedule was to visit Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he met with the vice-chancellor and officials to discuss mutual exchange and cooperation plans, and then encouraged about 150 Indian students attending the Korean language department there.
Governor Lee Cheol-woo of Gyeongbuk Province said, “The crisis and difficulties of regional universities are intensifying due to the continuous decline in the school-age population, tuition freeze, and concentration of talents in the metropolitan area.” He added, “From now on, I will run tirelessly as ‘Gyeongbuk’s No. 1 Talent Scout’ to strengthen the competitiveness of regional universities by attracting overseas talents and help them realize their dreams in Gyeongbuk, a land of new opportunities.”
Gyeongbuk Province plans to hold a Gyeongbuk Study Abroad Fair in Vietnam in the second half of this year to attract foreign students.
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