As part of KDI School's commitment to connecting classroom learning with real-world experiences, a group of international students traveled to Changnyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do, on June 26–27 for a two-day educational program exploring the historical roots of Korea's Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement). Organized under the initiative of Dean Kim Joon-Kyung in collaboration with Youngone Corporation, the trip offered students a rare opportunity to deepen their understanding of one of Korea's most influential rural development movements while experiencing the country's cultural heritage firsthand.

Seventeen international students from countries where Youngone Corporation operates were selected to participate in the program. Joined by Dean Kim, faculty members, and staff, the group of more than 28 participants visited Seok-ri Village in Changnyeong, a community closely connected to the early history of the Saemaul Undong and Korea's agricultural modernization.

The program combined lectures, historical site visits, cultural activities, and discussions to help students better understand how community participation, local leadership, and self-help initiatives contributed to Korea's rapid rural transformation. Rather than learning solely through textbooks, students experienced these concepts in the communities where many of these historical developments unfolded.

One of the highlights of the trip was an overnight stay at the Seok Family Historic House, a traditional hanok designated as Gyeongsangnam-do Cultural Heritage Material No. 355. The historic residence, once home to the Changnyeong Seok clan, holds an important place in Korean history as the site where onion cultivation was first successfully introduced in Korea in 1909, eventually becoming a crop cultivated nationwide.

The opportunity to stay overnight in the historic residence was particularly meaningful. Although the house is normally open to visitors as a cultural heritage site, overnight accommodations are generally not permitted. Through the support of Youngone Corporation, KDI School students were granted special access, allowing them to experience life in a traditional Korean home while appreciating the cultural and historical significance of the site.

Beyond its architectural value, the hanok served as a living classroom. Immersed in a setting that has witnessed more than a century of Korean history, students gained a deeper appreciation for the relationship between cultural heritage, rural communities, and national development.

Throughout the program, participants attended lectures on the origins of the Saemaul Undong and the grassroots foundations of Korea's rural modernization. Discussions explored how local communities embraced cooperation, self-help, and shared responsibility to improve living conditions during a pivotal period of Korea's economic development.

Students also visited the village community hall, where they continued discussions on rural development history and learned how community participation became a cornerstone of Korea's modernization efforts. On the second day, a local cultural heritage docent guided participants through Seok-ri Village, providing historical context that allowed students to connect what they had learned during the lectures with the surrounding landscape.

According to program organizers, delivering the lectures on-site significantly enhanced the learning experience. Hearing the history of the Saemaul Undong while standing in one of the communities connected to its legacy helped students better understand the movement's social and historical context in a way that would have been difficult to replicate in a classroom.

Changnyeong itself offered an ideal setting for the program. In addition to its association with the Saemaul Undong, the region is recognized as the birthplace of onion cultivation in Korea, reflecting its long-standing importance in agricultural innovation. The county is also home to the Changnyeong Gyodong and Songhyeon-dong Tumuli, part of the Gaya Tumuli inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2023, further highlighting the area's rich historical and cultural significance.

Student feedback reflected the impact of the experience. A post-program satisfaction survey recorded an overall satisfaction score of 4.78 out of 5, with the overnight hanok stay receiving an exceptional 4.93 out of 5. Many participants expressed appreciation for the opportunity to study Korea's development history through direct experience rather than traditional lectures alone, while several hoped similar programs would be offered in the future.

The Changnyeong program reflects KDI School's mission of preparing future leaders in public policy and development through both academic excellence and practical learning. By combining historical lectures with cultural immersion and field-based learning, the experience encouraged students to reflect on Korea's development journey while considering how its lessons might inform policy challenges in their own countries.

Made possible through the generous support of Youngone Corporation, the program also demonstrated the value of partnerships between academia and the private sector in creating meaningful educational opportunities. As KDI School looks toward future collaborations, initiatives like the Changnyeong field trip continue to provide students with valuable opportunities to experience firsthand the history, culture, and development policies that have shaped modern Korea.