Participants in the 2026 Next-Generation Overseas Korean Homeland Training program experience traditional culture at Hahoe Village, including learning mask dance moves. [Andong City]
Participants in the 2026 Next-Generation Overseas Korean Homeland Training program experience traditional culture at Hahoe Village, including learning mask dance moves. [Andong City]

Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, has successfully completed the first session of its specialized program under the "2026 Next-Generation Overseas Korean Homeland Training," an initiative hosted by the Overseas Koreans Agency and organized by the Overseas Koreans Cooperation Center, the city announced Thursday.

Participants from 49 countries — including the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany and Brazil — visited Andong, where they explored two of the city's most celebrated cultural heritage sites: Dosanseowon Confucian Academy and Hahoe Village.

At Dosanseowon, participants spent time learning about the philosophy of Joseon-era scholar Yi Hwang and the values of Korea's spiritual culture. At Hahoe Village, they took part in a range of traditional cultural activities, including making Hahoe masks and learning the hahoe mask dance.

Kim Ji-hu, a participant from the United States, said visiting Dosanseowon and Hahoe Village gave him a fresh appreciation for Korean history and tradition. "It was a meaningful experience to be able to directly encounter Korean culture," he said.

The Andong specialized program will run for a total of six sessions through August, following a schedule of two consecutive weeks of sessions followed by one week off.

Andong Mayor Kwon Gi-chang said he hopes the experience will help young overseas Koreans reconnect with their roots and deepen their understanding of Korea. "We will continue to expand a variety of international exchange programs so that Andong remains in their memories and draws them back," he said. "We will build an Andong that people from around the world want to visit."


kbj7653@heraldcorp.com