1. On October 22, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha and Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of Korea Harry Harris signed the Memorandum of Understanding between the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the US Department of State on Renewal of the WEST Program and the Working Holiday Program (WHP) and Expansion of Other Reciprocal Exchange Opportunities, under which the Programs will be re-extended for five years.

° The MOU will allow Korean college students to stay in the US for up to 18 months for the WEST (Work, English Study, Travel) Program -- 2-5 months for English language studies, 12 months for internships and 1 month for travels.

° Under the MOU, American college students will be able to travel and work in the ROK for up to 18 months for the Working Holiday Program. The Gilman International Scholarship Program and other scholarship programs conducted by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the US Department of State will also be implemented under the MOU.

2. These Programs have been run through cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education: The former, by extending the MOU, has laid the framework for the implementation of the Programs; and the latter has had its affiliate, the National Institute for International Education, recruit participants and render assistance to them, thereby practically implementing and running the Programs. Over the past 10 years, some 3,500 college students took part in these Programs.

° In particular, efforts are being made to offer equal participation opportunities to students from low-income families and at colleges in provincial areas as well as those majoring in natural sciences and engineering and with various backgrounds. Furthermore, different amounts of living allowances will be provided to students from different income groups in an effort to provide those from vulnerable classes with more opportunities to build experiences abroad.

3. The US side expressed hope that with the scope of cooperation under the MOU broadened, as demonstrated by the inclusion of the Gilman International Scholarship Program and other similar programs, a larger number of young Americans will visit the ROK for various programs, and play bridging roles between the two countries.

4. Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha, calling the Programs, which more than 3,000 Korean students participated in over the past 10 years, a symbol of the long-standing friendship between the ROK and the US, stated that the ROK government will continuously and increasingly help young Koreans build their futures through new experiences and challenges.

5. US Ambassador to the ROK Harry Harris noted that amid the growing closeness among countries in the international community, the WEST Program offers its participants opportunities to gain insights on American culture vocation- and relationship-wise and to improve their English language skills. He added that WEST Program participants, by studying, working and traveling across the US, will serve as the ROK’s civilian ambassadors and build lasting friendships and mutual trust with Americans.

6. Going forward, the ROK government will continue to do its utmost to move smoothly forward programs designed to boost exchanges with the US and will seek to conduct such programs in a substantial way in an effort to help Korean college students gain diverse experiences overseas and thereby grow into talent with global capacity.

* unofficial translation