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| Students selected as ambassadors to promote Korean culture, front row, pose for a photo at an award ceremony held by the World Korean Foundation, Wednesday. / Courtesy of World Korean Foundation |
By Yoon Ja-young
The World Korean Foundation announced Thursday that it has designated student ambassadors to promote Korean culture abroad.
The organization, dedicated to cooperation and unity among Koreans living in diverse parts of the world, said it awarded Lee Yeon-jae, a senior at Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, Byun Su-min and Yu Ho-jun, juniors at the same school, as well as Shin Geun-woo from Whimoon High School and Roh Ju-won of Changmun Girls' High School for their contributions in promoting Korean culture abroad. They were also named as student ambassadors for the foundation.
The students have been volunteering to translate information on Korea's cultural properties.
"I wanted to promote the benefits of Korean traditional food as the Westernized diet is causing many health problems around the world, including in Korea. Rice consumption is falling each year here as more people turn to a Westernized diet. I was sorry to see that excellent nutrition of Korean traditional food is not getting due recognition. That's why I began translating the Dongui Bogam last year," Lee said.
The "Dongui Bogam,'' or Mirror of Eastern Medicine, is an encyclopedic medical book written in the 17th century during the Joseon Kingdom. Written by Heo Jun, a court physician, and published by the Medical Center for the Royal Family, it includes wide range of information on food.
Korean high school students have little time as they prepare for the notorious college entrance exam, but the student ambassadors used the little time they did have by volunteering. They spent short break times at school to translate information on Korean cultural heritages.
"I also learned a lot through volunteering I had to thoroughly read the Dongui Bogam. It was a very meaningful experience. I would like to continue to study and further promote and share the benefits that good traditions can offer," Lee said.
