Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province is garnering significant attention for its extensive support of overseas backpacking study tours aimed at strengthening the global competencies of local youth. The "2025 Hwacheon County Youth Overseas Backpacking Study Tour," scheduled to run for up to 15 days starting July 17, will provide 66 selected young people, divided into 11 teams, with the opportunity to directly visit prestigious universities in various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Europe, and experience the culture of those countries.

 
10 Years, 344 Participants Supported, Obligatory Visits to Top 100 Global Universities

Hwacheon County's support for overseas backpacking study tours is not new. From 2015 to last year, a total of 344 young people, including 64 middle school students and 280 high school students, experienced overseas through this program. Notably, for this year's tour, Hwacheon County has made visits to "Top 100 Global Universities" obligatory, aiming for substantial learning and broader perspectives beyond simple travel.

The universities to be visited by this year's tour groups include world-renowned institutions such as the University of Toronto and McGill University in Canada, Columbia University in the United States, ETH Zurich in Switzerland, the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, Freie Universität Berlin and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in Germany, and Sorbonne University in France. Through these university visits, the youth will have the opportunity to glimpse advanced educational systems, gain academic inspiration, and explore their future career paths.

 
Student-Led Tour Design and Comprehensive Support

The most significant feature of this year's tour is that the students themselves planned and designed all aspects of the itinerary, including the countries, universities, visiting locations, and activity programs. This is expected to greatly contribute to fostering the youth's proactive learning abilities and self-directedness. Hwacheon County has assigned one accompanying public official to each of the 11 teams to ensure a safe and efficient tour and to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances.

Furthermore, Hwacheon County is providing comprehensive support by covering up to 5 million won per student for the tour expenses, allowing the youth to gain overseas experience without economic burden. This exceptional support provides a valuable opportunity for Hwacheon youth, who might otherwise have limited opportunities for overseas experience due to the geographical characteristics of being a border area, to see the wider world and broaden their horizons.

 
Hwacheon County Mayor Choi Moon-soon: "May You Experience the World with Pride in Your Hometown"

Hwacheon County Mayor Choi Moon-soon commented on the tour, stating, "I always tell our children to keep their hearts in Hwacheon and their dreams in the world." He added, "I hope they go abroad with pride in their hometown, see and hear many things, gain experiences, and return safely." This statement underscores the great value Hwacheon County places on nurturing global talent among its youth.

Hwacheon County's overseas backpacking study tour is expected to play a crucial role in helping local youth grow as global citizens and develop the competencies needed to plan their futures. It is hoped that Hwacheon County will continue to expand such programs to provide even more opportunities for its young people in the future.