By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
A number of foreign English teachers gathered in Seoul last Friday to participate in the ``2008 English Program in Korea (EPIK) Reunion,'' organized by the National Institute for International Education (NIIED), a government agency under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
Some 160 out of 204 native English speakers who were placed last March at elementary and secondary schools across the nation joined in the farewell event and shared each others experiences and memories of their time in Korea.
``It was the first meeting of its kind to have all EPIK participants around the country in one place. This event is to create a network for foreign teachers and form an alumni-like group of foreigners who can become Korea-friendly celebrities back in their home countries,'' said Song Yu-sun, a training manager for EPIK.
It is the ambitious goal for NIIED to produce more and more foreigners who can be ``promotional ambassadors'' of Korea. Hence, the international agency plans to have more and more events to bind foreign guests for its programs together.
During the two-day event held at the Olympic Parktel in southern Seoul, Prof. Kevin Price of Kyung Hee University presented his experiences about Korea as an English teacher. Also, the other foreigners shared their experiences with each other. They also watched a famous performance in the evening and took a city tour on a boat cruise.
Meanwhile, NIIED recruited some 490 foreign assistant teachers last fall semester and placed them at elementary and secondary schools. The international education agency plans to hire 608 more foreign teachers for the next spring semester.
The program teachers can earn 1.5-2.5 million won per month according to their degrees and teaching certificates and will receive an entrance and settlement allowance and free single furnished housing. Successful candidates will conduct English conversation classes with Korean co-teachers.
Those who are interested can apply either by visiting Korean consulates and embassies around the world, EPIK offices in Korea, or online at www.epik.go.kr