KOREAN Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man will lead the Saemaul Undong (SMU) lecture at Casa Real de Iloilo, 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 6.
The lecture is the highlight of His Excellency’s three-day visit from December 5 to 7. He will be accompanied by First Secretary Park Jongsuk.
A total of 75 participants are expected to attend ranging from government agencies, mayors of the SMU recipient municipalities, Capitol department heads, representatives from government agencies, and the media.
Prior to the seminar, the ambassador will grace the inauguration of the Male Medical Ward of Dr. Ricardo S. Provido Sr. Memorial District Hospital in Calinog town at 10 a.m.
The said hospital is one of the three hospitals that was assisted by the government of the Republic of Korea, through the Korea International Cooperation Agency, under the Iloilo Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas Health System Strengthening Project. This facility complements the Obstetrics and Pediatrics Wards that KOICA funded, along with the hospital’s Administration Building.
On August 30 to 31, 2018, the provincial government also hosted the First Saemaul Summit in Iloilo City.
Saemaul Undong or “New Village Movement” is a political and social reform initiative introduced by then President Park Chung-Hee in 1970 which helped the war-torn South Korea become a highly-urbanized country.
SMU is anchored towards Korean traditional values such as diligence, self-help, and cooperation.
Delegates from Iloilo also attended the one week Global Saemaul Leadership Forum 2018 in Seoul, South Korea from November 26 to 30. They were led by Jose Nereo Lujan of the Public Information and Community Affairs Office and Mario Nillos of the Provincial Planning and Development Office representing the Provincial Government; Barangay Captain Randy Limas of Legayada, Lambunao; and Barangay Captain Jojo Balume of Poscolon, San Rafael. (PR)