Jeonbuk National University (JBNU)'s summer Internationalization Capacity Activity Team successfully completed educational and cultural volunteer activities in Uzbekistan, laying the groundwork for expanding international exchanges in Central Asia.

JBNU planned this activity to expand the scope of its overseas volunteer work, which had previously focused on Southeast Asia such as Vietnam and Indonesia, to Central Asia. The team consisted of 25 participants: 20 Korean university students, two Uzbek students enrolled at JBNU, and three chaperones.

The team visited Uzbekistan from July 10 to 20 and operated educational and cultural programs at School 107 in Tashkent for approximately 80 local students.

In particular, the team received strong responses by running a variety of programs including play-centered Korean-language instruction tailored to the local students' levels and ages, taekwondo, traditional games, K-POP, and Korean cultural experiences.

The activity provided local students with opportunities to directly experience the Korean language and culture. It also became a forum for global cultural exchange where students from both countries communicated naturally and formed friendships.

Alongside volunteer work, the team visited the Tashkent Korean Education Center, Tashkent 1 Sejong Institute, Ajou University Tashkent Campus, and Bucheon University Tashkent Campus to promote the recruitment of international students and provide admissions counseling.

At these meetings, JBNU introduced its educational environment, support systems for international students, scholarship programs, and international exchange programs, highlighting the university's strong educational capabilities and global competitiveness. Through these efforts, the foundation for local cooperation to recruit outstanding talent from Uzbekistan was further consolidated.

The team also visited the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Uzbekistan to receive explanations on local diplomatic affairs and the cooperative relationship between Korea and Uzbekistan, reflecting on the meaning of overseas volunteer and international exchange activities. Participating students recognized their roles and responsibilities as private diplomatic envoys representing the Republic of Korea abroad and had a meaningful time deepening their understanding of the international community and their sense of global citizenship.

Yoo Chang-ho, Team Leader (Deputy Vice-President of the Office of Student Support), said, 'Through play-centered Korean-language education tailored to the students' ages and traditional cultural experiences, we were able to see students from both countries naturally empathize and build friendships. Going forward, we will continue to link overseas educational volunteer work with international exchange to expand the recruitment of excellent international students and to continuously strive to enhance JBNU's global competitiveness.'