Jeonbuk National University (JBNU) will host Feeling Korea, a Korean culture experience program that invites a large number of international students to promote the excellence of Korean culture. The program will run from January 22 for two weeks.

JBNU held a welcome event at 1:30 p.m. on January 22 in Donghaeng Hall at the Newsil Road Center for the 132 students from six countries participating in the Feeling Korea program. The international students, from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, showed strong interest in Korean culture. Many of them aspire to study in Korea, so the program is expected to lead to recruitment of international students.

JBNU has declared a goal to attract 5,000 international students through the Glocal University 30 project and is actively conducting recruitment activities targeting overseas universities and students. The Feeling Korea program is also part of the Glocal University 30 project. In cooperation with 14 local governments, it uses Jeonbuk’s outstanding tourist resources to introduce international students to Korea’s cultural assets and JBNU’s educational infrastructure and to encourage them to study in Korea.

Over the next two weeks, the international students will stay at JBNU. They will take Korean language classes in the mornings to learn basic conversation. In the afternoons, they will enjoy experiences such as hanbok wearing, bibimbap workshops and handmade seal-making at sites including Jeonju Hanok Village. They will also visit Muju Taekwondowon, Jinan Red Ginseng Spa, the Seocheon National Ecology Center and Seoul to experience a variety of Korean cultures.

Cho Hwa-rim, Director of the Office of International Affairs at JBNU, said, "The Feeling Korea program will be a good opportunity to promote not only Korea’s outstanding culture but also JBNU to the world. We will work to expand such short-term cultural experience programs to provide great satisfaction to foreign students who are highly interested in Korea and to actively attract international students."