Senior official of Ethiopian SNNPR (Souther Nations, Nationalities, and People's Region) with population of 15 million begins training
Senior officials of the Amhara region with a population of 18 million also receiving training last year
Suggesting a new Korean style international development cooperation model of repaying kindness
[January 15, 2015]

YU (President Noh Seok-kyun) is working hard from the start of the year for the globalization of the Saemaul Undong.
Senior officials of SNNPR of Ethiopia completed an 8-day short-term Saemaul Undong training program at YU in early January.

On the 13th, YU hosted a Saemaul Undong training completion ceremony for the SNNPR (Southern Nations, Nationalities and People's Region) of Ethiopia hosted by the International Development Cooperation Center (Director Choi Oe Chool). Eleven SNNPR senior officials including Vice Governor TESFAYE Belijge Dara who participated in the short-term training program of the YU International Development Cooperation Center for eight days from January 7 attended the ceremony.

Ethiopia is an ally country that fought on the side of South Korea as part of the UN forces during the Korean War. After carrying out training for senior public officials from the Amhara region of Ethiopia on two separate occasions in June, this time senior officials SNNPR participated in Saemaul Undong training. This proposes a new international development cooperation model of repaying kindness of Korea that has developed through the aid of the international community. Amhara and SNNPR are large regions with populations of 18 million and 15 million, respectively.

In particular, SNNPR, which is located on the southwestern tip of Ethiopia, is home to 56 of the 80 ethnic groups of Ethiopia. With Awasa being its main province, 89.98% of the 15 million residents live in farming areas, making this a farming-oriented region.

The team from Ethiopia that received training at YU learned about the success experience and knowhow on economical development by Korea through economic development through the Saemaul Undong, the Saemaul Undong and rural development, Saemaul Undong and erosion control projects and livestock development for eight days. They also visited Samsung Electronics, Daegu Stadium and POSCO to get a first-hand look at the developed industries of Korea, while also having the opportunity to take a look at the development of Korea by taking field trips to the Sabang Memorial Park and National Revival Hall.

Nuredin Mohammed Kemal (36), who was one of the first students enrolled at the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul and now a chief at the SNNPR Marketing Cooperation Bureau, played an important role for making this Ethiopia SNNPR training to happen. Upon the suggestion of Mr. Nuredin, SNNPR felt the need for training and thus visited YU to learn about the Saemaul Undong and rural development success knowhow using only the region's budget and not any support from international organizations or private companies. SNNPR is planning to send a second team of 12 including the governor of SNNPR for eight days starting on February 1 to learn more about the Saemaul spirit and Korea's development experience.

At the completion ceremony, YU International Development Cooperation Center Director Choi Oe Chool (Vice President of YU) who oversaw the training course said, "The generation of your parents and grandparents came to this land to protect the freedom of Korea 65 years ago. Thus, Korea and Ethiopia are brother countries." He added, "Though it was a short time, we thank your passion to learn the Saemaul Undong using a 'self-reliant method' of paying for your own expenses, and YU has and will continue to do its best to share the experience of Korea's compressed growth."

SNNRP Vice-governor TESFAYE Belijge Dara responded, "I was deeply impressed by the development of Korea and I have become confident through this training event that Korea's Saemaul spirit and Saemaul Undong are the development models that emerging countries must apply for economic development," while adding, "We vow that once we return home, we will make self-reliant efforts in our environment to apply and practice the Saemaul spirit, and we will share the achievements for the development of Ethiopia in our next visit."

At the ceremony, the trainees handed over a framed photo and the SNNPR slogan "Our diversity is our beauty. Our beauty is our unity!" that commemorates the diversity and unity of the 56 ethnic groups to show their appreciation and share friendship with their brother country.

"Vow to practice the Saemaul spirit, confident as model for eradicating poverty and developing the economy for emerging countries"

Meanwhile, last year YU was selected as an 'international cooperation leading university' by the Ministry of Education to actively pursue global social contribution activities to eradicate global poverty and for mutual prosperity. In 2014 alone, training and education on the Saemaul Undong and Korea's development experience was provided for 410 people from 60 countries.

In November 2011, the 'Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul' was founded to foster global Saemaul leaders in emerging countries. 197 students were admitted from 50 countries in the past three years. As of the second semester of 2014, 130 international students from 47 countries are currently learning 'Saemaul sciences' and Korea's development experience. 63 students from 26 countries have graduated or completed their studies. Thanks to these achievements, the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul was selected as the top master's degree program institute of the 'leader and instructor fostering project for regional development of emerging countries' by KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) in March 2014. 68 students from 27 countries are scheduled to enroll at the Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul in March 2015. In total, 265 international students from 54 countries learned the Saemaul Undong and spirit through the YU Park Chung Hee School of Policy and Saemaul.

There has been a rapid increase in demand to learn the Saemaul Undong among underdeveloped countries, and thus YU established the International Development Cooperation Center in July 2013. This center carried out training for the Saemaul Undong, regional development and emerging country tourism policy development for 290 leaders from 38 countries.

Recently, the school's 'Saemaul and International Development Department' was selected as the Ministry of Education's excellent regional specialized department. Accordingly, YU will act as a leading college for international cooperation by fostering experts in Saemaul international development as a state-sponsored project for the next five years, and graduates are making a firm cornerstone to contribute to overcoming poverty and for the global mutual prosperity in the international stage.