Students Kyoung Park and Jayoung Kim discuss student life in Chattanooga.

Terry Olsen speaks to the delegation in the Card Auditorium in the UTC Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics building.

Chancellor Bill Stacy speaks to the Korean delegation with the help of translator Choi Kum Nan.

Korean Representatives visit UTC Campus

A Korean delegation from Gangneung, South Korea, visited Chattanooga this week in pursuit of a sister city relationship, focusing on economic development and education. The group toured the new UTC Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics classroom building and the UTC Place Apartments on the UTC campus.

According to Terry Olsen of Shumacker, Witt, Gaither & Whitaker, industry has fallen off in Gangueung, but it does enjoy a reputation as a family tourist destination.

"The mountains and beaches in Gangneung attract the tourists. The city is also interested in bringing in more high tech industry," Olsen said.

According to Olsen there are approximately 5,000 Koreans living in the Chattanooga area. Olsen’s firm represents some members of the Korean community in immigration cases.

UTC has four exchange programs in place with universities outside the United States, in the Czech Republic, Sweden, Japan, and Israel. According to Elizabeth Bell, coordinator of UTC Cooperative Education, a new exchange program would be possible between UTC and Kwandong University in Gangneung.

"Students from your institution would be qualified to participate in the cooperative education program. Students of all majors would be qualified to find part-time work to get hands-on experience and to experience what it is like to work for an American company," Bell told the group.

Bell added that the UTC English as a Second Language Institute would assist students who needed help with their language skills, and for those who already speak English, all classes would be open to them.

UTC Engineering student Kyoung Park and his friend Jayoung Kim, who will transfer next semester to UTC for Legal Assist Studies, spoke with members of the Korean delegation about their educational experiences.