6th Korea-Japan High School Teacher Exchange Program held

Some 50 Japanese teachers visit Korea for cultural and educational experiences

Delegations tour schools in Incheon, Gyeonggi Province and Seoul

Ryu Jin (right), chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, raises a toast with representatives of the visiting Japanese teacher delegation at the farewell reception for the 6th Korea-Japan High School Teacher Exchange Program, held Thursday at FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul. [Federation of Korean Industries]
Ryu Jin (right), chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries, raises a toast with representatives of the visiting Japanese teacher delegation at the farewell reception for the 6th Korea-Japan High School Teacher Exchange Program, held Thursday at FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul. [Federation of Korean Industries]

The Korea-Japan Future Partnership Foundation, established by the Federation of Korean Industries, announced Friday that it had held the 6th Korea-Japan High School Teacher Exchange Program over five nights and six days beginning Sunday.

Forty-nine Japanese high school teachers visited Korea to experience the country's education, culture and industry firsthand. A farewell reception was held Thursday at FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul.

Attendees included Ryu Jin, FKI chairman and foundation president, along with Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials and Tsujo Kazuo, minister-counselor at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, among other prominent figures from both countries.

"The next generation is the hope of Korea-Japan relations, and the teachers who educate them are the key players in nurturing that hope," Ryu said at the event.

He added that "a gathering of some 100 teachers from both countries is equivalent to a meeting of 10,000 or even 100,000 students," and said teacher exchanges would serve as "a meaningful starting point for future generations to deepen their understanding of each other's countries and bring Korea-Japan relations ever closer."

The visiting delegation began its school tour Tuesday at Seo-Incheon High School, a general academic school, followed by Gyeonggi Aviation High School, a vocational school, on Wednesday, and Hana High School, an autonomous private school, on Thursday — visiting three schools in the greater Seoul area in succession.

The teachers observed classes, toured school facilities and held discussions with Korean teachers and students, gaining a direct look at Korea's education system and comparing it with their own.

The program also included cultural experiences such as K-pop dance and pansori, a traditional Korean vocal art form, as well as a visit to the Dorasan Observatory. The group also toured the Samsung Electronics Samsung Innovation Museum and Korea Exchange to explore Korea's advanced industries and financial system.

Separate lectures were delivered by Onishi Kazuyoshi, a minister at the Japanese Embassy in Korea, Bae Sang-hun, a professor at Sungkyunkwan University, and Choi Jae-sik, chief executive of Ineasy, on the topics of Korea-Japan relations, Korean education and AI, respectively.

The teachers examined how Korea is responding to challenges common to both nations — including population decline and the rise of AI — and used the visit as an opportunity to strengthen their own educational capabilities.

A foundation official said the program was expected to "lay the groundwork for the next generation of both countries to further develop Korea-Japan relations," adding that the foundation planned to continue pursuing a range of initiatives to expand bilateral cooperation, including a job fair in November to support mutual employment between Korean and Japanese youth.


joze@heraldcorp.com