With summer vacation underway, teenagers across Gangwon Province are fanning out across the globe for language immersion programs designed to sharpen their English skills alongside local communities.
Inje-gun has dispatched a group of local youths on its 2026 Overseas Cultural Experience program, aimed at building global competencies and broadening students' understanding of different cultures.
The county is covering 5.5 million won ($3,690) per middle school student.
Earlier this month, Cheorwon youth traveled to North America and Hwacheon students headed to Europe.
This year's program involves 30 students in grades 7 through 9 from middle schools across the county. It runs for 23 days — from Friday, July 17 through Aug. 8 — in Ngatea, New Zealand.
Participants will attend regular classes alongside local students at Hauraki Plains College and live with host families through a homestay arrangement, giving them direct exposure to New Zealand culture and daily life.
They will also visit major destinations including Auckland and Rotorua, taking part in a range of cultural activities to develop their English communication skills and international awareness.
To ensure a fair and objective selection process, the county administered a TOEIC Bridge written test and a native-speaker English interview in January, ultimately selecting the 30 participants.
From February until their departure, the selected students took part in preparatory English education through the Inje English Education Center, building their communication skills and familiarizing themselves with New Zealand culture and school life.
The county provides 5.5 million won per student, covering local tuition, homestay accommodation and meals, and cultural excursion fees. Students are responsible for airfare and visa costs, though low-income students receive full coverage of all expenses — including those normally self-funded — so that financial circumstances do not bar anyone from participating.
Inje-gun has run an overseas cultural experience program for youth since 2010. The initiative was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and resumed in 2023.
The county plans to continue expanding its global talent development program beyond simple overseas visits, creating opportunities for students to experience diverse cultures in new environments and grow on a world stage.
"I hope this overseas cultural experience gives students a precious opportunity to step outside the classroom, see the world firsthand, and discover their own potential," said Lee Ho-seong, head of the culture and education division. "We will keep creating diverse global education opportunities so that local youth can grow into future leaders equipped with international competencies and a spirit of challenge."
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