Busan is good

Foreigners get a helping hand

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BFIA ·Women’s Center offer specialized services

 

Busan officials are taking concrete measures to support their expat community, seeking to provide them with a more stable and comfortable lifestyle.

 

The Busan Foundation for International Activities or BFIA launched its inaugural project since its founding in February by reaching out to foreign students living in the city. “Foreign Student Nights” and photo contests are also in the works.

 

In May, the Foundation plans to establish a database of all foreign residents, and host a Korean-language speech contest.

 

Officials with the Foundation hosted an informal gathering in late March with staffs of international affairs offices at universities around Busan to seek advice on how to best support the foreign students in the city. This community has increased significantly in recent years, surging from 222 persons in 2001 to 1,321 last year.

 

Turning to family affairs, the Busan Metropolitan City Women’s Center opened a center for married immigrant families on April 6. The facility is geared toward assisting immigrant women who have settled down in Busan following marriage.

 

Among its Korean cultural programs aimed at streamlining these foreigners’ immersion in society are cooking contests focused on Korean cuisine and holiday events during Seol, the Lunar New Year, and Chuseok, the Korean Thanksgiving. For persons with special needs, one-on-one consultations are also offered.

 

For more information, contact the Busan Metropolitan City Women’s Center at 051-610-2027