hankyoreh

The 14th graduating class of the Jangdaehyun School

Cheol-min, 19, fled North Korea on his own in 2013. He left in search of his mother, who had defected and settled in South Korea before him. Fourteen years old at the time, he made the difficult journey through China and other countries before arriving in Seoul and achieving his dream of reuniting with his mother. Life in South Korea was difficult in many ways, but language proved an especially formidable barrier. The South Korean version of Korean includes many foreign loanwords not present in North Korea. Unable to keep up with the language, Cheol-min gave up on his studies.

One day, he learned about a new school that would allow him to live and study with other young North Korean defectors: the Jangdaehyun School, located in Busan’s Gangseo District. Five years after entering the school in Mar. 2014, Cheol-min graduated from its high school curriculum on Feb. 13 of this year. Graduating alongside him that day were seven others who shared the same ups and downs over the past three to five years.

This year’s graduation ceremony was the fourth for the Jangdaehyun School, which offers both middle and high school programs. The graduating class of 10 was its largest yet. Eight were completing the high school curriculum, while two were finishing middle school and proceeding into high school. The Busan Metropolitan Office of Education has designated the institution as an alternative school for middle and high school education, which entitles graduates to regular middle and high school diplomas.

“I wasn’t able to attend school in North Korea. I enrolled in elementary school when I came to South Korea, and it was difficult to keep up with my studies,” said 18-year-old graduate Choi Su-ok.

“If it weren’t for this school, I think my life prospects would have been very bleak. I will do what I can from my position to prepare for a reunified Korea,” she added.

Some welcome news was delivered during the ceremony that day: the Korea Foundation in Germany, which has been a leading presence in supporting inter-Korean exchange, announced that it would be sending specialized German instructors to the school for three years to provide German language classes. The foundation also plans to arrange for students’ German language study and employment.

The Jangdaehyun School is currently the only alternative school for young defectors in the Yeongnam and Honam regions (Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces). It was established in 2014 through the combined efforts of citizens looking out for young students who had risked death to come to South Korea, only to face ostracism in school or abandon their studies due to their inability to keep up.

Due to its straitened circumstances, the school has only five full-time teachers, but it has been able to provide a regular school education program thanks to financial donations from around 40 former and current teachers. Most of the operating costs are covered by support funds. The building used for the school and dormitory was provided by an anonymous benefactor. Because of the lack of funding and dormitory space, only around two dozen students are receiving instruction there.

Celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, the Jangdaehyun School has established itself as an alternative education setting. Over the past five years, 12 students, including the eight 2019 graduates, have completed their high school curriculum. Nine of the 12 have gone on to four-year higher education institutions including Korea University, Handong Global University, Kosin University, and universities in the US.

Kim Kwang-soo, Busan correspondent

Please direct comments to [english@hani.co.kr]