Learn about the Saemaul Undong, the driving force behind Korea's economic growth.

The Saemaul Undong in the 1970s played a major role in Korea's economic growth from the world's poorest country in the 1950s.

Saemaul Undong is a nationwide community development movement with the aim of improving living conditions and increasing income based on the Saemaul spirit of diligence, self-help, and cooperation.

Foreign students who learned about the Saemaul Undong visited Gyeongsangbuk-do and expressed their gratitude.

According to Gyeongbuk Province, 20 foreign students from Yeungnam University's Park Jeong-hee Saemaeul Graduate School visited the provincial government office on December 24 to thank Governor Lee Cheol-woo and to study Saemaul Undong with the support of Gyeongbuk Province.

They are from 12 African and Asian countries, including Ethiopia, Rwanda, Cameroon, Indonesia, and Myanmar, and are dreaming of becoming global Saemaul leaders in their 20s and 40s with diverse backgrounds and backgrounds such as civil servants, NGO activists, and teachers.

Those who are expected to graduate in August of next year will return to their home countries and spread the Saemaul Undong by grafting the success stories of Saemaul Undong to their environment.

Jelo Mohamed Siri (29. from Sierra Leone), who gave a speech as a representative of international students during the visit, said, “I chose the lonely and difficult life of studying abroad in order to become a leader in regional development by learning the Saemaul Undong, a global success model for eradicating poverty. I sincerely thank Gyeongbuk Province and the governor for giving me the opportunity to make this dream come true.”

Gyeongbuk Governor Lee Cheol-woo said, “It makes my heart proud just to see how you will return to your home country to spread the Saemaul Undong, which you have learned and cultivated for a year and a half. Please be a global Saemaul leader for beautiful companionship for the joint prosperity of mankind."

Yeungnam University’s Park Chung-hee Saemaul Graduate School opened on November 1, 2011, and has three departments and three majors including Saemaul International Development, Public Policy Leadership, and Sustainable Development (Saemaul International Development, Public Policy and Leadership, Forest and Environmental Policy) under a master's degree program.

So far, with support from Gyeongsangbuk-do, it has produced 205 graduates from 44 countries.

All lectures are conducted in English, and full-time classes allow the completion of the master's degree program in 1 year and 6 months, and full scholarships and monthly living expenses of 1 million won are also provided to foreign students.

Reporter Lee Jieun