Samcheok City Establishes Integrated Support System Covering International Students from Recruitment to Settlement

Collaboration among Samcheok City, Korea Energy Meister High School, and Kangwon National University
Comprehensive, close-knit support from recruitment and adaptation to education and settlement

Samcheok City in Gangwon Province is building a "Samcheok-style international student settlement model" based on the Samcheok Educational Development Special Zone project to support the stable settlement and growth of Vietnamese international students, and is pursuing systematic support that takes responsibility for the entire process from recruitment to adaptation, education, and settlement.

Samcheok-style international student. Provided by Samcheok City

Before entry into Korea, the city provided a total of 88 hours of local Korean-language education through the Samcheok Korean Language Education Center from January 8 to February 6, 2026, helping improve language skills and providing prior understanding of life in Korea so as to reduce the burden of initial adaptation and to equip students with the basic competencies needed for their studies.

Starting with a welcome at Incheon International Airport on February 22, the city operated a three-day, two-night community adaptation program. Current students and teachers of Korea Energy Meister High School, together with project officials, took part in visits to Gyeongbokgung Palace, the National Museum of Korean Contemporary History, and the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, deepening cultural understanding and peer bonding. Then, from February 28 to March 2, immediately before school starts, a local culture exploration program will be held to further strengthen understanding of and sense of belonging to the local community.

After enrollment, the city will provide a total of 300 hours of pure Korean-language education over one year starting in March. A Korean-language teacher with a Vietnamese migration background will offer customized instruction to enhance both language proficiency and cultural understanding. In addition, in cooperation with Kangwon National University, the city plans to run specialized education programs and weekend project activities in the fields of electricity, machinery, and hydrogen energy, thereby systematically supporting the development of major-related competencies and career planning.

This project is being evaluated as a local, community-based model for fostering global talent that links the entire process of supporting international students through collaboration among Samcheok City, Korea Energy Meister High School, and Kangwon National University. Samcheok City plans to further strengthen its region-centered global talent development system by expanding the range of countries from which it recruits international students and broadening the age groups it targets.