Thoughts & Initiatives

SPECIAL FEATURE: Mission Organizations & NGO Partners On a clearing outside Vientiane, boys pull worn gloves from cloth bags. They are early for practice. The coach, a Korean man who arrived here more than a decade ago, watches from the dugout. He is not a missionary in the formal sense. But when you ask him why he chose baseball in a country where the sport barely existed, his answer is theological. Why Baseball in a Socialist Country? Organizations working in Laos face a we

The “S” in ESG — Social — remains the most difficult pillar for many companies to translate into concrete, measurable action. Generic donation programs often lack specificity. Employee volunteering is hard to scale internationally. But there is a category that is gaining traction precisely because it combines genuine social impact with strategic brand value: Sport for Development (SFD), or Sports ODA. Germany already operates 50 sports ODA projects in 37 countries, reaching o

On an early morning in Vientiane, Laos, a group of boys grip baseball bats on a dusty patch of open ground. Their shoes are worn, their gloves fraying — but their eyes are steady and bright. These boys are training for one goal: to stand on the mound at the 2026 Nagoya-Aichi Asian Games in September. Baseball was almost unknown in Laos, a socialist republic in Southeast Asia. Then a Korean coach arrived, secured the government's approval, and began building a national team fr

It was happening at the Uzbek State University of World Languages, Tashkent Uzbekistan during the autumn/winter semester 2025. https://youtu.be/UyCx9aOIo1E?si=k5x8TPi1fi_IMeyK Taekwondo was introduced in Uzbekistan in the early 1990s after independence and quickly spread from Tashkent with support from Korean instructors. The Uzbekistan Taekwondo Association was established in 1999, and KOICA supported the development of local infrastructure and coaching. Since the 2010s, Uzb

Uber Teems Summer Marketing Strategy Project During the Uber Teens Summer Marketing Strategy Project (July 14 – August 9, 2025), I worked as a Junior Marketing Partner at Uber Korea. Together with my team, I researched teen culture, analyzed consumer behavior, and designed a marketing strategy aimed at increasing brand engagement among young users. Our proposal emphasized both feasibility and creativity, combining logical analysis with insights into youth trends. Through acti

After overcoming the initial challenges,our volunteers say their thoughts and hearts have changed a lot since before the dispatch. 👀 What was the most rewarding part of their experience?😵 What were the honest struggles they faced?💬 And what does “volunteering” really mean to them? Meet the KOICA volunteers currently working in Uzbekistan through this candid and heartfelt interview V-log! ⬇️Watch the video here⬇️ https://youtu.be/eYdq9nZUy6I?si=4JiFNfFw7jtavqdR [V-log] KOI

Cultural Exchange Initiatives: World Friends Korea Volunteer Project https://youtu.be/TRFqEVJtAdA?si=S8eVedS4xl05uUWr In the realm of cultural exchange and volunteerism, the World Friends Korea initiative stands out as a beacon of positivity and collaboration. Particularly, the World Friends Korea Volunteer Project in Uzbekistan has been making waves in promoting cultural understanding and supporting K-culture activities in the region. One of the main components of the projec

Are you passionate about cultural exchange and interested in supporting K-culture activities? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for...

As cultural exchange becomes increasingly important in today's interconnected world, initiatives like the World Friends Korea Volunteer...

Do you know what my V-log stands for? Welcome to “V-log”: V for Volunteer, V for Vision Hi there!Welcome to my V-log — not just a video...

Bridging Cultures: Introducing the Tashkent Korean Culture Awareness Project As globalization continues to reshape the modern world, the...