Learning Freedom: Help Educate North Korean Youth

In order to help North Korean youth adjust to their school life in South Korea, NKHR runs a three-week school during winter break with a focus on basic academic instruction and training on life in a free society. In January we held our annual "live-in" Hangyoreh School with 26 North Korean students in participation. Students were offered full meals and accomodation. Major daytime courses included Korean writing, math, and English, which were taught according to the students’ levels. 

Evening courses featured one-on-one tutoring sessions and special activities like art, physical education and playing board games. While playing unification simulation board game, students were grouped into six to represent six major cities in North and South Korea. They ran their cities with own economy plans and raised reunification fund. The fund could be utilized to help each other. After playing the game, students discussed the future of Korea after unification and gave presentations about the topic envisioning their roles in the unified country. 

Yoon-ji, a student participating in the Hangyoreh Winter School for three years in a row, is now accepted in a prestigious university and will study computer engineering to pursue her dream. Noting that it would have been difficult to get the admission without participating in the Hangyoreh School, she said that she is planning to participate in the School next year as a volunteer teacher.

It is also encouraging for our organization to see that a growing number of the North Korean youth, especially girls are interested in science and engineering. Math is one of the most difficult subjects for North Korean students who did not learn it properly back in North Korea. Thus, seeing that some students advance to a level to be able to study science and engineering at the highly advanced South Korean universities is a wonderful trend and we are focusing our resources to help the North Korean youth to achieve these aims.