Why Visiting Goryeoin Village... National Pukyong University Embarks on Volunteer Activities in Uzbekistan

Making Songpyeon with Elderly Koreans at Arirang Nursing Home
Volunteer Activities Include Mural Painting, Environmental Improvement, and Promoting K-Culture

Students of Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) will visit the Korean diaspora village in Uzbekistan to carry out volunteer activities.

PKNU announced that during the winter vacation, from the 3rd to the 11th, they will conduct overseas volunteer work in Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for nine days.

About 50 members of the PKNU Student Volunteer Group will depart Korea on the 3rd and begin volunteer activities aimed at practicing international community goals such as the UN-SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance).

They will make songpyeon (rice cakes) and experience mask packs together with elderly Koreans at the Arirang Nursing Home in the Korean diaspora village. They will also help improve the environment by painting murals on old fences.

At Kimyog International University and Samarkand State University of Foreign Languages, they will engage in student exchange activities through Korean cultural experiences such as K-Pop dance and Taekwondo demonstrations, as well as discussions on the UN-SDGs and Korean language education.

At Samarkand Public School No. 1, they plan to conduct care activities for children, including health and hygiene education, Korean language education, making gimbap, and a small sports day.

Kim Cheol-soo, head of the student affairs office and leader of the volunteer group, said, “Our students have designed and implemented the volunteer program themselves based on global common goals, which will be a great opportunity to contribute to the joint development of the international community and cultivate proactive capabilities.”

Kim Seung-min, student representative of the volunteer group and a senior majoring in Economics, said, “While volunteering, I will also serve as a civilian diplomat to promote Korean culture to the world and deliver inspiration to Uzbekistan.”

A PKNU official emphasized, “Through this activity, we will strengthen cooperation between Korea and Uzbekistan and strive to maintain continuous exchanges with local universities.”