Pukyong National University Completes Overseas Volunteer Activities in Uzbekistan to Strengthen International Cooperation

Activities for Education and Environmental Improvement Over 9 Days
Civilian Diplomats Promoting the Korean Wave

National Pukyong National University (President Bae Sang-hoon) announced on the 27th that the PKNU Student Volunteer Group successfully completed their volunteer activities in Uzbekistan.

Samarkand State Institute of Foreign Languages Korean Culture Exchange Event. Provided by National Pukyong University

The volunteer group, consisting of a total of 47 members including 42 students and 5 faculty and staff, carried out volunteer activities in Tashkent and Samarkand, Uzbekistan, for 7 nights and 9 days from the 3rd to the 11th. This activity was conducted as part of the ongoing efforts by the volunteer group to achieve the UN-SDGs (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) and practice ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) management.

They engaged in activities such as making traditional Korean food, providing companionship volunteering, painting murals on old walls, and applying lime preservatives to trees at the Arirang Nursing Home, a care facility for ethnic Koreans.

At Tashkent Kimyo International University and Samarkand State University of Foreign Languages, they held advanced Korean language classes along with a planned program sharing the spirit of the UN-SDGs, and also played the role of civilian diplomats by spreading Korean culture and Hallyu (Korean Wave) including K-Pop.

Additionally, at Samarkand Public School No. 1 (equivalent to elementary and middle school in Korea), they held events such as making gimbap for K-Food experience for students from grades 1 to 9, beginner Korean language education, health and hygiene education, Taekwondo breaking demonstrations, and a small sports day together.

Gimyogukje University Korean Language Class Social Event. Provided by National Pukyong University

Kim Seung-min, the representative student participant (4th year, Department of Economics), said, “This experience allowed me to encounter a bigger world. I believe there was a small echo of the Republic of Korea in Uzbekistan, and I hope that the two countries will continue to maintain an international partnership for cooperation and mutual development.”

Locally in Uzbekistan, the volunteer students’ good deeds to soothe the pain of forced migration of ethnic Koreans and their interaction with local students through sharing Korean culture were deeply appreciated. In particular, local media outlets (such as KUN.tv) showed enthusiastic competition in covering their activities at each university, praising this as an opportunity for the popularity of the Korean language and Korean culture in Uzbekistan to mature further.

A representative from National Pukyong National University stated, “This volunteer activity is expected to have greatly contributed to fostering the spirit of volunteerism and establishing global citizenship awareness, leading to the holistic growth of students. We plan to continuously promote volunteer activities and student exchanges with various schools.”