The U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange Program is a unique program designed to broaden the perspectives of Korean and American young people on: the legislative process; the history of U.S. - Korean relations; and current economic, political, and security aspects of the bilateral relationship. The program also provides the U.S. and Korean participants with firsthand experience of each other’s people and culture, and creates opportunities for participants to form long-lasting personal contacts.
The program was first created in 1981 by U.S. Representative Ben Gilman and his counterpart in the Republic of Korea National Assembly David Pong. The program is jointly funded by the Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and the Republic of Korea National Assembly and developed and implemented by Meridian International Center.
This joint exchange program combines meetings, shadowing opportunities, briefings from government officials and private sector specialists, peer interaction, and cultural activities. Ten Korean university students and a group leader from the Republic of Korea National Assembly will participate in the U.S. program and an equivalent group from the U.S. will participate in the U.S. and Korea program.
The Korean and American delegations will spend eight days together in Washington, DC. Afterwards, the Americans will depart for Korea, while the Koreans will remain in the U.S. for site visits to other U.S. cities. At the end of the program, the Korean delegation will return to Korea to reunite with their American counterparts for three days together in Seoul. Specific dates for the American delegation are:
The U.S. delegation consists of 10 American students, between the ages of 21 and 27, selected through a competitive application process. You may find the program application here.
The Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Unification of the Republic of Korea National Assembly nominates and selects the Korean students to travel to the U.S.
The participation in this program for the selected members of the U.S. delegation is fully funded by the U.S. Department of State including domestic flights to and from hometown, international flights to and from Korea, as well as hotels, meals, and local transportation while in Washington, DC. The Republic of Korea National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Unification will cover all program costs in Korea including accommodations, meals, and local transportation to scheduled meetings and events, as well as entrance fees for planned cultural events, museums, musical performances, etc. Other incidental expenses, such as gifts, souvenirs, movies, free time activities, and meals outside those included as part of the program are the responsibility of the individual participants.
Participants in the program must meet the below requirements:
The final requirement for participation is to submit:
Important note: This program is not geared for U.S. applicants who have already had significant opportunities to travel or live in Korea.
2017 U.S. Congress – Republic of Korea National Assembly Exchange Program | August 2017 | |
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Regions: | East Asia and Pacific |
Countries: | South Korea |
Impact Areas: | Education, Public Diplomacy, Youth Leadership Development |
Program Areas: | Global Leadership |
Partners: | Public Sector, Private Sector |