1. As part of a college student exchange program between the Republic of Korea and Japan, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send a delegation of 30 ROK college students to Japan from October 27 to November 5 at the invitation of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

o The program is the first government-led youth exchange program between the ROK and Japan, which has been in place since 1972 pursuant to the agreement reached at the ministerial meeting between the two countries in 1971. About 2,000 college students of the two countries have visited each other’s countries so far.

* A delegation of 30 Japanese college students visited the ROK from September 15 to 24.

- During their visit to the ROK, they visited the Institute of Traditional Korean Food, Cheongwadae Sarangchae, Hanok Village, and Jeju Island. They also watched a traditional Korean play, attended the ROK-Japan Festival (September 20), experienced various aspects of Korean culture, including hansik (traditional food), hanbok (traditional costume) and talchum (mask dance), and had an opportunity to talk with students from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.

2. During their visit to Japan (Tokyo, Kobe, Awaji Island, Osaka), the delegation of the ROK college students will visit the Visual Industry Promotion Organization and Tokyo Polytechnic University, famous for animation, and watch Awaji Ningyo Joruri, a traditional puppet show which has a history of 500 years. They will also visit the Japanese Foreign Ministry, experience Japan’s traditional culture, including through home stays, and have an opportunity to talk with Japanese college students.

o They will also attend a cultural event in Tokyo hosted by the ROK Embassy in Japan. At the event, together with Japanese young people, they will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the ROK and Japan, and actively promote Korean culture.

3. The Foreign Ministry will continue to contribute to developing the ROK-Japan ties toward stable and future-oriented relations by continuing the substantive college student exchange programs between the two countries and thereby helping the two countries’ youth strengthen communications and better understand each other.


*unofficial translation