Bahk Eun-ji has been with The Korea Times since 2012, building a career across multiple desks. She began at the Business Desk, where she conducted in-depth interviews with key figures in Korea's corporate world. Later, she moved to the Politics & City Desk, focusing on education policy and social affairs. She later served as team leader of the digital content team, leading curation efforts on the newspaper’s homepage and reshaping print stories for social media audiences to enhance digital reach. Now back on the Politics Desk, she covers the National Assembly and the Ministry of National Defense, with a renewed focus on political developments.
Korea, Germany sign MOU to launch student exchange program
From left, Rep. Kim Young-bae, ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-joon, German Ambassador to Korea Georg Schmidt, and Rep. Kim Hee-jung pose for a photo after signing a memorandum of understanding to launch a Korea-Germany student exchange program at the National Assembly Members’ Office Building in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of ADeKo.
By Bahk Eun-ji
The Korea Germany Network, or Alumninetzwerk Deutschland-Korea (ADeKo), signed a memorandum of understanding with the Embassy of Germany in Seoul on Wednesday to establish a student exchange program aimed at strengthening educational and cultural links between the two nations.
The ceremony, which took place at the National Assembly, brought together lawmakers Kim Hee-jung and Kim Young-bae of the Korea-Germany Parliamentary Friendship Association, German Ambassador Georg Schmidt, and ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-joon.
Under the agreement, exchanges will begin in 2026 with about 200 students from 10 schools taking part in weeklong reciprocal visits. The program is expected to grow to 1,000 students by 2028 and may later expand into a semester-based model.
“The firsthand exposure is essential for building lasting connections between young people in both countries,” Schmidt said. He added that “a single student’s experience often influences entire families and social circles,” calling the exchange “a foundation for long-term stability in bilateral relations.”
ADeKo Chairman Kim Hyo-joon said the organization will take the lead in coordinating the program’s development. “ADeKo will take the lead in planning, coordination and implementation so the program can settle as a stable and sustainable platform,” he said. He added that “our goal is to expand the exchange to around 1,000 participating students within the next few years.”
Lawmaker Kim Hee-jung said the initiative will help future generations grow into global citizens who understand and respect each other’s cultures. She noted that Korea and Germany “share historical experiences and a deep belief in education,” making youth exchange particularly meaningful.
Rep. Kim Young-bae said youth-level engagement remains crucial at a time of rapid global change, calling person-to-person exchanges “one of the most resilient forms of bilateral cooperation.”
Although the memorandum of understanding is not legally binding, both sides view it as an important first step toward institutionalized cooperation. Further discussions are planned on teacher recruitment, German language education support and administrative procedures needed to build a long-term exchange framework.