OKIS, Nurturing Korean Talent in Japan, Celebrates 80th Anniversary with Grand Unity Festival in Osaka

Eighty Years of Ethnic Education Since 1946
K-pop Shows, Round-trip Tickets, 85-inch TV, and Prizes Worth 50 Million Won

Osaka Geumgang International School (OKIS), operated by the Kumgang School Foundation and recognized as Korea's first overseas Korean school, is holding a major festival in celebration of its 80th anniversary with the participation of the Korean community in Japan. On the 15th, OKIS announced that it would host the "80th Anniversary Grand Festival" on its campus in Osaka, Japan, over two days from the 2nd to the 3rd of the next month. The event will bring together students, parents, faculty, alumni, and Korean residents in Japan.

Since its establishment in 1946, OKIS has carried on the tradition of ethnic education within the Korean community in Japan. This upcoming event is designed to reflect on the past 80 years and serve as a platform for unity as the school marks the beginning of its "second founding," looking ahead to the next 100 years. The festival will feature K-pop special performances, student talent shows, various exhibitions and contests. There will also be a food court and food truck marketplace selling bulgogi, tteokbokki, and other dishes, as well as air bounce attractions for children.

A prize lottery worth a total of 50 million won will also be held. Prizes include: round-trip air tickets to and from Korea and Japan; the official backpack of Team Korea for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games; an 85-inch large-screen TV; a premium cosmetics set; a PlayStation; an iPad; and the OKIS official jumper, among others.

A large 80th anniversary banner is hung on the exterior wall of Osaka Geumgang International School (OKIS), South Korea's first overseas Korean school. OK Financial Group

Marking its 80th anniversary, OKIS is simultaneously launching a fundraising campaign in Korea and Japan to build the "OK Growth Center," an initiative to create future educational infrastructure and support the school's development fund. Upholding the vision of the earlier generations who laid the groundwork for ethnic education in 1946 under challenging circumstances, the school plans to improve aging facilities and expand the educational environment to nurture global talent. The names of all donors who participate in the campaign will be permanently preserved and displayed on the newly established campus donor wall, "OKIS Honors Club (Donors' Wall)," as well as on the school's website.

OK Financial Group, a sponsoring partner of OKIS, has also contributed by donating its entire festive gift budget, joining the fundraising campaign in the names of more than 1,500 opinion leaders. Current OKIS students expressed their appreciation by sending handwritten postcard letters as tokens of gratitude. Choi Yoon, Chairman of the Kumgang School Foundation, remarked, "It is deeply moving to see the transformation from Overseas Koreans with a preserved identity, to Original Koreans, and onward to Osaka Koreans (OKIS), now a cradle of global talent. Drawing inspiration from the sacrifices of our seniors 80 years ago, we will continue to envision the next 100 years in which our children confidently thrive on the world stage. We kindly ask for the warm support and participation of many in this meaningful journey."

An image of the 'Donors' Wall' being created to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Osaka Geumgang International School (OKIS), operated by the Geumgang Foundation. OK Financial Group

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