Overseas Korean Youth Visit Busan to Experience Culture and History, Strengthening Korean Identity

Overseas Korean youth visited Busan to experience the city’s culture and history.

The Busan Metropolitan Government (Mayor Park Heongjoon) announced on July 15 that, from July 10 to 13, overseas Korean youth who came to Korea as part of the “2025 Next Generation Overseas Koreans Invitation Program” spent time in Busan reflecting on their Korean identity.

On July 11, the city held a welcome ceremony at the Grand Moment Youth Hostel in Nam-gu, greeting 150 overseas Korean youth from 34 countries?the first group of three scheduled to visit Busan this year. The event included a video introducing Busan, an official welcome speech, and a Taekwondo performance by K-Tigers, which was met with enthusiastic applause.

This year’s invitation program involves a total of 330 next-generation overseas Korean youth from 40 countries. They will each stay in Busan for three nights and four days over three separate sessions between July 10 and August 10. This is the largest scale since the program began, with 95 Busan youth also participating to promote exchange.

The program is scheduled as follows: the first session from July 10 to 13, the second from July 24 to 27, and the third from August 7 to 10. This initiative has been organized annually by the Overseas Koreans Agency and the Overseas Koreans Cooperation Center since 1998, with Busan City providing full support since 2016.

This year’s program aims to foster pride in Korean heritage by offering overseas Korean youth opportunities to experience Busan’s culture and history, while also helping them develop global competencies through exchange with local Busan youth.

In commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation, this year’s program included historical tours such as a visit to the United Nations Memorial Cemetery, where participants laid flowers and observed a moment of silence. Other activities included exchanges with Pusan National University students, a yacht tour in Suyeong Bay, and a visit to Beomeosa Temple. Participants toured the Pusan National University campus while filming video diaries (vlogs), and experienced the charm of Busan as a maritime city through the yacht tour.

Lee Joonseung, Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs of Busan, stated, “This year’s program, marking the 80th anniversary of Liberation, was more than just an exchange; it was a meaningful event connecting the history and future of the Korean people. I hope this will not only showcase Busan’s natural beauty and urban competitiveness but also serve as a foundation for international exchange.”

Overseas Korean youth visiting Beomeosa Temple.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.