Provincial Support Ended in 2023
"Action Needed to Secure Facilities"
Jeong Cheol, a member of the Jeonnam Provincial Assembly (Democratic Party of Korea, Jangseong District 1), has emphasized the urgent need to secure residential facilities for the stable operation of rural study abroad programs in agricultural and fishing villages in Jeollanam-do.
During the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education's work report to the 2nd Education Committee on September 11, Assemblyman Jeong stated, "The rural study abroad program in Jeollanam-do began with 82 students in 2021 and has now increased to 356 students, but there are still difficulties on the ground due to a lack of and inconvenience with residential facilities."
He further pointed out, "In particular, since most of the students are accompanied by their families, the lack of available residential facilities undermines the effectiveness of the study abroad policy."
According to the Jeonnam Provincial Office of Education, the proportion of 'family-accompanied' students-those living with guardians-participating in the rural study abroad program in Jeollanam-do increased from 78.8% in 2021 to 93.8% in 2025, a 15 percentage point rise over the past five years.
Assemblyman Jeong said, "With the termination of Jeollanam-do's support project to revitalize rural study abroad programs in 2023, the institutional foundation for improving residential conditions has also disappeared," and stressed, "Jeollanam-do and each local government must actively cooperate to secure facilities that can help study abroad families settle stably."
He also added, "We should enable students who return after rural study abroad to continue interacting with their study abroad regions as their 'second hometown.' Urban students can carry on the nature-friendly lifestyle they learned during their stay, while rural areas can incorporate these students into their social networks, helping to revitalize small schools and restore vitality to local communities."
Assemblyman Jeong welcomed the expansion of living expense support for family-accompanied rural study abroad students (300,000 to 500,000 won per household per month) starting from the first semester of the 2026 academic year, saying, "I hope that, along with financial support, the expansion of residential facilities will further vitalize rural study abroad programs by enabling families to settle down stably."
In response, Moon Taehong, Director of Policy, said, "I fully understand the issue of securing residential facilities," and added, "We will do our best to work with Jeollanam-do and the relevant local governments to find solutions."
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