Over 100 people attended the award ceremony, including the POSCO TJ Park Foundation’s CEO, Ohjoon Kwon; 12 university-related executives including Sogang University Chairman Byungnam Yoon, Yonsei University International Campus Vice President Kyungtae Lee and KDI School of Public Policy and Management Dean Hongtack Chun. Fourteen directors of the Foundation were also present, including former Seoul National University President Joongho Sunwoo, Barun Law Attorney Ilhoan Park, Yonsei University Honorary Professor Bok Song, Seoul National University Professor Hokeun Song, Samchully Chairman Joonho Han and Samil PwC Chairman Kyungtae Ahn, along with 53 Asian scholars.

The scholarship for Asian students studying in Korea is an inbound scholarship supporting young and talented individuals from developing Asian countries to complete master’s or doctoral courses at approximately ten of the most prestigious graduate schools in Korea.

On November 18, the POSCO TJ Park Foundation presented scholarship awards to 28 selected Asian fellows for this year. The scholars will complete master’s or doctoral courses at some of the most prestigious graduate schools in Korea, and then return home to contribute to their countries.

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation selected a total of 28 people as POSCO Asia Fellows this year: 9 from Vietnam, 3 from Indonesia, 3 from China, 2 from Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Kazakhstan, and 1 from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Iran, India and Malaysia.

These scholars will study for two years at institutions in cooperation with the Foundation, such as the Seoul National University Graduate School of International Studies (GSIS), the Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Administration, Yonsei University GSIS, Korea University GSIS, Sogang University GSIS, Ewha Womans University GSIS, KDI School of Public Policy and Management, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies Graduate School of International and Area Studies, POSTECH Graduate School and the Academy of Korean Studies. The Foundation provides full tuitions and living expenses of 1 million KRW a month for two years.

“Asia is the most rapidly growing and dynamic region in the world today, but it’s also scattered with more and more ethnic, religious, ideological and territorial conflicts,” remarked CEO Ohjoon Kwon while delivering words of encouragement at the ceremony.

“The POSCO TJ Park Foundation’s POSCO Asia Fellowship is POSCO’s effort in the private sector to broaden the scope of interaction and cooperation among Asian countries. We hope that, despite our different appearances and thoughts, all the scholars value the sense of cooperation for the joint prosperity of Asia.”

CEO Kwon’s speech was followed by a presentation titled “Growing My Dream with Korea” by Feruza, an Uzbekistan native who is currently an economics major at the Graduate School of Korean Studies of the Academy of Korean Studies. She discussed how she felt and thought of her experience in Korea so far. Moreover, all of the scholars sang a Korean pop song in unison, which they had rehearsed over the last month, receiving applause and a fervent response from the audience.

Furthermore, the POSCO TJ Park Foundation is providing all kinds of support for the convenience of the scholars during their stay in Korea, in addition to the award ceremony hosted by the Chairman for the scholars. A mentor-mentee program is offered for fellows who just came to Korea to help them with issuing the certificates and signing contracts for studio apartments.

Programs are also provided for them to experience society and culture in Korea. Learning the Korean language is also made mandatory so that they can comfortably speak basic Korean during the two years of their stay. Once they are about to return to their homeland after their studies, a conference will be hosted for the students to present their research papers to share the two years of their academic achievements, which will be a fruitful experience for them.

The POSCO Asia Fellowship, which is celebrating its 11th anniversary this year, has provided 12.3 billion KRW to a total of 324 scholars. Most of the scholars are growing into leaders in their home countries after graduation, working as public servants, college professors or employees at global corporations. Furthermore, POSCO Asia Fellows are also running and supporting the POSCO Reunion. Past examples include reunions at Vietnam in 2011, Thailand in 2014, Indonesia in 2015 and India in 2016.

As the core program of the Foundation, the POSCO Asia Fellowship consists of a total of five programs: 1) a scholarship for Asian students studying in Korea, 2) an Asia research grant that supports research by Asian scholars on the liberal arts and social sciences, 3) an Asia regional expert training for in-depth research on the Asian region, 4) scholarship for excellent Asian universities and 5) publication of the first Asian literary journal.

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As a global social enterprise, POSCO is well-known for its numerous activities that have been contributing to social and economic development both at national and local level. Today, we would like to share the stories of POSCO-Vietnam’s scholarship programs.

POSCO-Vietnam has been providing scholarship programs for schools of Tan Thanh district in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and for students of Korean Studies Department at University of Da Lat, in Lam Dong province. In addition, through POSCO Asia Fellowship in Vietnam, POSCO-Vietnam has granted the POSCO TJ Park scholarships to excellent students of Vietnam National University- Ho Chi Minh City.

Scholarships for Struggling Students at Tan Thanh District, Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province

Tan Thanh is a district where POSCO-Vietnam is operating its business. Across the district, there are 37 schools of which almost every student is studying under poor condition. Recognizing this situation, POSCO-Vietnam decided to launch a scholarship program as the branch initiated its business in 2006. Since then, POSCO-Vietnam annually grants around 130 scholarships and 10 bicycles to many students of impoverished conditions.

“POSCO– Vietnam has great contributions to local community, especially for poor people and students. I highly appreciated its support for its eight consecutive years of POSCO-Vietnam scholarships program”, said Mr. Le Van Xuong-Chairman of Tan Thanh District.

Living in Tan Thanh district’s Toc Tien village, a student named Nguyen Thi Hue, grade 8, receives a scholarship from the program. Her father is a xe om driver (motorbike taxi) and her mother is an amateur embroiderer. However, their combined incomes are insufficient to support and educate their three children. Every morning, she gets a bike lift from her friends or rides from her father to get to her school which is 3km away from her home. When she fails to get a ride, she needs to walk all the way to the school.

“Since today, I don’t walk anymore because POSCO-Vietnam gives me a bike and notebooks for school. Thank you friends for lifting me until now and POSCO-Vietnam for these precious gifts”, said Hue.

Around 1,000 students received scholarship with this program since 2006.

Scholarships for Students of Korean Studies Department at University of Da Lat

With the purpose of finding the best employees for interpreter positions (Korean-Vietnamese), POSCO has been maintaining a friendly relationship with University of Da Lat since 2009. For the past six years, POSCO-Vietnam has been granting 30 scholarships to the students of Korean Studies or Oriental Studies Department at university of Da Lat.

On October 28, POSCO-Vietnam scholarship was granted to five excellent students at a meeting hall of University of Da Lat. “We hope that these scholarships are encouragements for students to make their efforts in studying and pursue their own dreams, becoming the pioneers for the country’s development. We believe the scholarships of POSCO-Vietnam will be an initiation for the students’ future success”, said Yun Yang Su, General Director of POSCO-Vietnam.

As a response, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hoa, the principle of the university, expressed his appreciation to POSCO-Vietnam for its support and assistance during the past years. He also expressed his hope that the scholarship program would be a bridge for long-term cooperation between the university and POSCO-Vietnam to encourage students to build up their bright future.

POSCO TJ Park Scholarships in Vietnam

The POSCO TJ Park Foundation, a non-profit organization that nurtures prospective young talents in Asia, has been providing more than 150 scholarships to students of the largest and most distinguished university in Vietnam, named Vietnam Nation University – Ho Chi Minh City.

“POSCO TJ Park Scholarship played an important role in our lives for us by encouraging us and making us a step closer to our dreams.”, said the 4^th year student, Huynh Minh Thuan.

Representative for POSCO TJ Park Scholarship Foundation, Yun Yang Su-POSCO-Vietnam’s General Director hoped that the scholarship recipients would make their efforts in studying so that they could take part in the training courses for MA or Ph.D in Korea, sponsored by POSCO Asia Fellowship, and get a chance to learn about Korean culture as well. He also stated that recipients would prove their qualifications to become gifted leaders contributing for Vietnam’s development and Asian region as well.

The POSCO Asia Fellowship supports the prospective leaders of Asia by providing full tuition and living expenses to young talents from Asian countries as they enroll in master’s or doctoral programs at some of the most prestigious Korean universities or institutions and experience the Korean society and culture. So far, the fellowship has sponsored 39 Vietnamese students to take courses in Korea since its establishment. 

To Create Bright Future for Students
POSCO-Vietnam does not only offer occupations for parents but also supports their children for better academic circumstance through its scholarship program. As POSCO-Vietnam build POSCO Village for the local people living in poverty, the branch will continue to create an academic environment to educate the young generation for the bright future of Vietnam.

(This episode is provided by POSCO’s global storyteller, Mr. Nguyen Van Nam)