ASEAN students find career guidance, community in Korea
Summary
ASEAN students in Korea gathered at Pukyong National University in Busan on Saturday for orientation and career mentorship programs focused on student life, employment and career planning. The event brought together about 100 students with professionals and university partners, and included guidance on visas, job search strategies and recent changes to visa pathways. It was the first joint event between the ASEAN-Korea Centre and the three Busan universities after a July 27 memorandum of understanding. The center said the partnership is meant to build lasting cooperation and expand support for ASEAN students in Korea.
Key Facts
- About 100 students from ASEAN countries attended the programs at Pukyong National University in Busan.
- The ASEAN-Korea Centre co-hosted the event with the ASEAN Youth Network in Korea, Pukyong National University, Dongseo University and Busan University of Foreign Studies.
- Leah Victoria Carada, the Philippine consul general in Busan, gave a special lecture on strengthening Philippines-Korea exchanges and supporting international students.
- Five ASEAN professionals working for Korean companies shared experiences on job preparation, workplace life and building careers in Korea.
- The ASEAN-Korea Centre has run its career mentorship program since 2017, and the joint event followed a memorandum of understanding signed on July 27.
Students at Hankuk University of Foreign Studies talk with international students studying in Korea. Korea Times file
For many Southeast Asian students in Korea, navigating university life can be only the first hurdle, with questions about visas, jobs and building careers waiting beyond the classroom.
About 100 students from Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries gathered Saturday at Pukyong National University in Busan for programs offering practical guidance on student life, employment and career planning while connecting them with fellow students and professionals.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre, working with the ASEAN Youth Network in Korea, Pukyong National University, Dongseo University and Busan University of Foreign Studies, co-hosted the orientation and career mentorship programs on Saturday at Pukyong Convention Hall.
The orientation, held for the first time alongside the annual career mentorship program, featured undergraduate and graduate students sharing firsthand experiences of studying and living in Korea.
Leah Victoria Carada, Philippine consul general in Busan, delivered a special lecture on the diplomatic mission’s role in strengthening Philippines-Korea exchanges and supporting international students.
The career program focused on practical concerns facing students preparing to enter Korea’s job market, including work visa applications and recent changes to the visa pathway system.
A professional consultant discussed visa applications and job search strategies, while a representative from Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs explained recent changes to visa pathways.
Five ASEAN professionals working for Korean companies shared their experiences with job preparation, workplace life and building careers in Korea.
Students then joined small-group mentoring sessions with the professionals, allowing them to ask questions directly and compare experiences.
One participant said meeting ASEAN professionals who had already studied and worked in Korea provided practical insight into navigating both education and employment.
The ASEAN-Korea Centre has organized its career mentorship program since 2017 to help ASEAN students explore career opportunities and prepare for employment in Korea.
Saturday's gathering also marked the first joint event between the center and Pukyong National University, Dongseo University and Busan University of Foreign Studies following a memorandum of understanding signed July 27.
The center said the partnership is intended to build a lasting foundation for cooperation with universities in Busan and expand support for ASEAN students in Korea.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.
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