YOGYAKARTA – To enhance cooperation in the preservation of local tradition between Indonesia and South Korea, the Regional Center Expertise (RCE) of Tong Yeong City in South Korea has sent five students (2 junior high school and 3 senior high schools) and 1 teacher to learn cultural preservation in Yogyakarta. They visited government offices, schools and the young generation from 9-19 January.
Coordinator of RCE Yogyakarta, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Dr. Puji astuti, M.Sc., Apt, said the visit was the realisation of cooperation between RCE Tong Yeong and RCE Yogyakarta in the program to preserve the local traditions of both countries. “This is our shared concerns of the decreasing number of the young generation paying attention to the nation’s culture. Not only in Indonesia but also Korea,” said Puji in the office of Professor’s Council at UGM, Friday (10/1).
Puji Astuti added the RCE Tongyeong has the same views on the decreasing interest of the young in the local culture. An activity is developed, which is the Bridge to The World program to introduce the South Korean youngsters to understand and maintain their national culture through learning the maintenance of local traditions in Yogyakarta.
The Korean students will learn further the efforts made by the Indonesian government, especially the provincial government of Yogyakarta through the government agencies, education institutions, communities, societies and individuals in preserving the local traditions that have long existed in the city.
Kim Yu Bin, 18, said Tongyeong City has traditional values that are significant but not all are well preserved. “Hence, we came to Yogyakarta to see how to maintain that tradition with the hope that we would be able to do same at school,” he said.
For ten days, the Korean students visit schools of SMKI Karawitan Yogyakarta and SMAN 3 Yogyakarta, Kemadang village in Gunungkidul regency, Wukirsari village to see the preservation of batik, silver in Kotagede, pottery in Kasongan, and Kraton Yogyakarta and Sonobudoyo Museum.