VANK ✖️ ACM(Asociación Coreana De Mexico)

VANK has announced its collaboration with the Asociación Coreana De Mexico (Mexican Korean Association) to launch a project aimed at educating Korean youth in Mexico about Korea.

Um Ki-woong, the 16th president of the Mexican Korean Association, recently visited VANK’s office and agreed to work together on initiatives that will help both Korean youth and local young people in Mexico gain a deeper understanding of Korea’s history and culture.

Since being elected president of the association on February 28, 2021 (local time), Um has actively worked with VANK on projects to ensure accurate representation of Dokdo and the East Sea in Spanish-language online encyclopedias. Additionally, he has contributed to the Spanish translation efforts for VANK’s “Korea Awareness Site” (http://spain.prkorea.com), which was created to provide accurate information about Korea to Spanish-speaking audiences worldwide.

Notably, Um played a key role in translating the March 1st Independence Declaration into Spanish as part of VANK’s global translation project, helping spread awareness of Korea’s independence movement and its historical significance to Spanish-speaking communities in Latin America and Europe.

Highlighting his commitment to cultural education, Um has designated the Korea Awareness Project as a key initiative of the 16th Mexican Korean Association. He expressed strong interest in helping Korean youth in Mexico, as well as local Mexican young people, gain a proper understanding of Korea’s history and heritage.

To this end, he is preparing for a special lecture by VANK Director Park Ki-tae in the fall of 2021, targeting Korean youth in Mexico. Through this initiative, he hopes to cultivate future Global Korea Ambassadors who will actively promote Korea worldwide.

Given the increasing interest in Korean pop culture among Mexican youth, there is a growing need to expand this enthusiasm beyond entertainment to Korea’s rich history and traditions. In particular, Mexico’s world history textbooks contain inaccuracies or incomplete information about Korea’s history and culture, making it essential to correct these misrepresentations.

During discussions with VANK, Um expressed regret that while Mexico’s history textbooks include information about the United States’ Declaration of Independence, they do not mention Korea’s March 1st Independence Declaration. As Mexico also experienced hardships under imperial rule, he emphasized the importance of introducing Korea’s resistance movements, including the March 1st Declaration, into Mexican textbooks.

To address this issue, VANK and the Mexican Korean Association plan to:

  • Train Global Korea Ambassadors among Korean youth in Mexico
  • Promote Korea awareness initiatives throughout Mexico
  • Organize various joint projects to spread accurate information about Korea

In addition, Um has recorded a special video lecture for VANK’s youth members, emphasizing the importance of Korea awareness campaigns in Mexico.

Notably, Um is the first person in his 40s to be elected as president of the Mexican Korean Association. He was also the first Korean to obtain official certification as a Federal Supreme Court Sworn Translator in Mexico and is currently the head attorney at Mundus Apertus Law Firm.

Upon taking office, he pledged to strengthen the association for the benefit of approximately 15,000 Korean residents in Mexico, particularly focusing on policies that support second-generation Korean youth and first-generation elder immigrants.

Through its collaboration with the Mexican Korean Association, VANK aims to expand its efforts in partnership with 7.5 million Korean diaspora members worldwide, launching various projects to promote an accurate understanding of Korea on the global stage.

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