YU Hosts 2025 Saemaul Leadership Training for Francophone and Spanish-speaking Africa, Sponsored by Ministry of the Interior and Safety

28 Senior Officials, University Professors, and Community Leaders from the Central African Republic, Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea Participate

Sharing Korea’s Development Experience and Saemaul Strategies through Integrated Theory and Field Training

[September 2, 2025]

 Yeungnam University (YU, President CHOI Oe-chool) is hosting the 2025 Saemaul Leadership Training Program for Francophone and Spanish-speaking Africa, sponsored by Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety, to share the philosophy and strategies of the Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement) with government officials, university professors, and community leaders from Africa. The program brings together 28 high-level participants from the Central African Republic, Guinea, and Equatorial Guinea for an 8-night, 10-day training (August 27 – September 5), combining campus-based learning with on-site visits to directly experience Korea’s rural development model.

 The training is designed to convey both the institutional and spiritual values of the Saemaul Undong, along with Korea’s socio-economic development experience, while helping participants derive actionable strategies applicable to their own countries’ rural development policies. Through lectures and workshops organized by YU, participants will study principles and strategies of the Saemaul Undong, rural finance systems, value chain-based regional development in agriculture, and community leadership organization. They will also engage in group discussions and presentations, drafting and sharing their own Action Plans tailored to local contexts.

 In addition to campus programs, the delegation will visit farms in Gyeongsan, the Saemaul Undong Birthplace Memorial Hall in Cheongdo, and POSCO, gaining firsthand exposure to Korea’s agricultural innovation, industrial advancement, and the transformative spirit of the Saemaul movement reflected in local communities. 

<YU President CHOI Oe-chool delivering a special lecture to the training participants.>

 President CHOI Oe-chool remarked, “The Saemaul Undong has been recognized by the international community as a successful anti-poverty strategy and policy. YU has institutionalized it as an academic discipline—Saemaul Studies—and has been providing systematic education and training for government officials, researchers, and local leaders from developing countries. I hope this training will equip participants with the capacity to lead positive change in Africa based on Korea’s development experience and the Saemaul spirit. YU graduates have long served as pioneers of industrial growth, contributing not only to humanity but also to elevating Korea’s global standing. We will continue to devote our efforts to nurturing global leaders who improve the quality of life for people in need around the world.”

 The Institute for International Development Cooperation (IIDC) at YU has been conducting Saemaul Undong-based short-term training programs for government officials and community leaders from developing countries. To date, over 3,400 participants from 50 countries have completed the program, which is regarded as a practical international cooperation model contributing to increased household income and community capacity-building.