'Korea good example for developing countries'

Jane Mango Angar

By Lee Kyung-min

Jane Mango Angar, 27, from Kenya, who graduated summa cum laude from the social science department at Sookmyung Women’s University, said she wishes to learn how Korea achieved rapid economic development and democracy to help her country implement the positive aspects.

Angar said she took an interest in learning about Korea, often cited as a primacy example for other developing countries, during her first year of college in Kenya.

“I heard about South Korea many times including the speech made by U.S. President Barack Obama at parliament in Ghana,” she said. “I also heard about the miracle of the Han River, which also grabbed my attention as I wondered how a once impoverished country was able to achieve social and economic growth at such a pace that it became a global example.”

She decided to come to Korea at the recommendation of a Korean language instructor in Kenya. She took a Korean class at the Global Language and Cultural institute LinguaExpress at Sookmyung Women’s University for about a year, and was able to understand some lectures in Korean. “I studied really hard as I wanted to understand the study materials without the language barrier.”

The street candlelit vigil that continued for months until the former President Park Geun-hye was removed was a shocking yet most memorable experience she had here. “I was really shocked how so many people were able to gather every weekend to express their will with such a peaceful yet firm manner with the country’s economy unaffected. The people made their voices heard and the democratically elected leader left office following an impeachment upheld by the Constitutional Court. “I think Korean people opened a chapter that could serve as a great example to other countries.”

Angar now attends the Korea Development Institute (KDI) studying international development policy, the knowledge of which she wishes to use to help her country achieve similar economic and political success.

“Korea had help from international organizations, though it did not blindly implement the conditions but adjusted them to best fit its own circumstances. I hope Kenya will, too.”