(KPL)The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Lao P.D.R. and the faculty of Korean language of the National University of Laos jointly held an event under the title of ‘Korea Promotion Day’ at the Conference Hall of the NUOL, on Thursday, November 30. The aim of the event was to promote knowledge about Korea amongst the students of the NUOL.

The event comprised three sessions: “Knowing Korea”; ‘Working with Korea”; and “Enjoying Korea”. Each session was designed to present basic knowledge about Korea, such as the history, geography, economy and culture of Korea to the students.

In an Opening Address, Mr. Jung Yung Soo, Korean Ambassador of Laos, noted: “this year marks the 28th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Korea and Laos, and the two countries have achieved a great deal together in many fields, even in a short time.”

“As today’s event will promote an understanding of Korea for students of Laos, I hope that the bilateral ties will further expand in the future with the benefit of the deeper understanding”, he added.

Mr. Souriodong Sundara, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Education and Sports of Laos, in Congratulatory Remarks, appreciated the support provided by the Korean Government in the field of education, saying that he wishes to see more cooperation in the future.

Mr. Oudom Phonekhampheng, President of the NUOL, commented that the NUOL is currently cooperating with many universities in Korea, including through its recent MOU with Seoul National University for cooperation in the field of agricultural education. “I hope that today’s event will provide opportunities for Lao students to learn more about the economic development of Korea, thereby applying what they learned to Laos as well.” He said.

In the First Session, “Knowing Korea”, a presentation on suggestions to amend the textbooks for secondary school students was delivered to the students of the NUOL, by a research group called “Hatbit (meaning sunshine in Korean)”, which consists of 14 students who are mainly 3rd and 4th grade students majoring in Korean language at the NUOL.

As the members of the research group carried out their research on content relevant to Korea in the Lao textbooks that secondary school students use for class, such as history or geography, they found that some elements need to be updated or amended, as they contained outdated or incorrect content.

"For example, it appears in the textbook that the Korean alphabet, Hangul, was invented in 1446 and was similar to Chinese characters.” said Ms. Koua Yang, a 4th grade student of the NUOL and a member of the research group during the presentation. “However, we found that Hangul was invented in 1443 and promulgated in 1446. And it is of a completely different form from Chinese characters. So we suggest amending this part of the textbook.”

Also, the textbook on history for 4th grade students reads that Mr. Ban Ki-moon, a respected South Korean diplomat who served as the 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations from 2007 to 2016, began his term as Secretary-General in 2009. Accordingly, the research group suggested correcting this part by changing the year of the start of his term to 2007.

In the second session, “Working with Korea”, a job fair was held to help in matching Korean businesses in Laos and students of the NUOL. Just as many companies in Laos are recently facing challenges recruiting workers, Korean companies were also looking for employees, and students who major in Korean language would benefit from their fluency in Korean.

“It is highly encouraged for students who major in the Korean language to work for a Korean company in Laos” said Ms. Seyeon Park, Deputy Director General of KOTRA Vientiane during her presentation in the session, “as more Korean companies are looking for Lao workers who speak fluent Korean and are accustomed to a Korean working culture.”

Finally, in the third session, “Enjoying Korea”, cultural performances, such as Taekwondo and K-Pop were provided to those who attended the event. The Conference Hall was filled with joy as the performers displayed their talents, with an enjoyment of Korean culture, and this session successfully concluded the event.

Ms. Laddavanh Keohavong, a 4th grade student who majors in Korean language at the NUOL and is a member of the research group “Hatbit”, remarked: “Today’s event had so much meaning for all the students, because we could get to know more about Korea, and also learn how to make use of the Korean language which we have been studying hard in terms of getting a great job in the future.”

The Korean Embassy in Vientiane will continue to cooperate with faculties of Korean language at the NUOL to provide quality education and experience for students who are studying the Korean language.

KPL