As part of its youth programs, the Korea Foundation regularly hosts the Korea-Japan Youth Exchange and the Korea-China Youth Dialogue.

Designed to promote friendship between Korean and Japanese university students, the Korea-Japan Youth Exchange was held for the 50th time this year, having been launched in 1972. The program is organized by the two countries’ Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and presented by the Korea Foundation and the Japan Foundation. Up until 2019, university students from each country travelled to the other country and visited places of historical and cultural importance. However, since the COVID-19 pandemic made it difficult to visit each other’s country, the program was converted into an online event in 2020 and once again held online this year.

Under the theme of prospects for post COVID-19 trends and ways to promote desirable Korea-Japan relations, the 2021 Korea-Japan Youth Exchange was held on five days between August 21 and September 18. During this period, Korean and Japanese students met online every Saturday to discuss international politics after the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of Korea-Japan relations. The program was composed of various events and activities, including special lectures by officials from the two countries’ foreign ministries, group projects for Korean and Japanese university students, and the operation of online booths for the Korea-Japan Festival Hanmadang in Seoul and Tokyo. After the end of the program, the participants are expected to build stronger ties with each other by exchanging handwritten letters and gifts by international mail.

Meanwhile, the Korea-China Youth Dialogue, co-organized by the Korea Foundation and the All China Youth Federation, took place on August 24 as part of the 2021-2022 Korea-China Cultural Exchange Year. During the 120-minute-long dialogue, young people and experts from the two countries shared their vivid experiences and cases of Korea-China exchange in such fields as art and culture. They also satisfied their curiosity and received practical advice through a Q&A session. The dialogue served as an opportunity for Korean and Chinese youths to seek ways to promote Korea-China youth exchange after the pandemic.