A view of the Yomyung School building on the site of the former Yeomgang Elementary School in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Hyundai Motor Group is partnering with the Ministry of Unification and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to build a new school building on the site, supporting a stable learning environment for youth with North Korean backgrounds. [Yomyung School]
A view of the Yomyung School building on the site of the former Yeomgang Elementary School in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Hyundai Motor Group is partnering with the Ministry of Unification and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education to build a new school building on the site, supporting a stable learning environment for youth with North Korean backgrounds. [Yomyung School]

Yomyung School, an alternative school for youth with North Korean backgrounds that has long struggled to secure a permanent home, will build a new school building on the site of the former Yeomgang Elementary School in Gangseo-gu, Seoul. Hyundai Motor Group will provide construction funding, while the Ministry of Unification and the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will offer administrative and site support, resolving a space problem that has persisted for years.

Hyundai Motor Group signed an MOU Friday with the Ministry of Unification, the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education and Yomyung School at the school in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, for the construction of a new school building. The signing ceremony was attended by Hyundai Motor Group President Sung Kim, Unification Minister Jeong Dong-young, Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education Superintendent Jeong Geun-sik, Yomyung School Board Chairman Lee Mun-sik, National Assembly member Han Jeong-ae and Gangseo-gu District Chief Jin Kyo-hoon.

Yomyung School opened in 2004 in Bongcheon-dong, Seoul, as an alternative school for youth with North Korean backgrounds. It received official recognition for middle and high school credentials in 2010 but has had to relocate multiple times due to its inability to secure its own site. Since 2023, the school has been using the site of the former Yeomgang Elementary School in Gangseo-gu on a temporary basis, but that arrangement was set to expire in February 2027, making a permanent solution urgent.

The MOU is significant in that it resolves the long-running site problem through public-private cooperation. The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education will make the former Yeomgang Elementary School site available for construction of a new school building. Yomyung School will build the educational facility on the site and donate it to the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, securing the right to use it on a long-term basis. The Ministry of Unification will support the administrative procedures and regulatory improvements needed for the construction.

Hyundai Motor Group will provide construction funding for the new building. Combined with Yomyung School's own resources, the funds will cover the cost of the new educational facility. The group will also run a tailored talent development program to help students continue their studies in a stable environment.

"The new educational space will become a cradle of hope where students can dream bigger and plan their futures," Hyundai Motor Group President Sung Kim said. "We will continue to work closely with all relevant parties to build an inclusive society where every child can realize their potential."

Hyundai Motor Group plans to deploy 20 university student mentors from its H-Jump School program to help current students strengthen their foundational academic skills. The mentors will provide tutoring twice a week, focusing on core subjects including English, mathematics and science, tailored to each student's level.

Career guidance will also be provided. Working with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education, the program will offer a winter-break career exploration program and customized lectures, as well as a community connecting students with Yomyung School alumni. The aim is to help students build not only academic skills but also the social adaptability that comes from emotional bonds.

Students who go on to university after graduation will also receive scholarship support. Through the Heroes Scholarship, a talent development program run by the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation, outstanding graduates will receive tuition and living expenses.

Hyundai Motor Group said it will continue to work with relevant organizations, building on the MOU, to ensure that students with North Korean backgrounds can grow in a stable educational environment and receive meaningful support as they enter society after graduation.


kwater@heraldcorp.com