Saipan charms visiting Korean students

Students and staff of Dangjin Middle School in Korea selected Saipan as their destination of choice despite receiving an invitation from another country.

Principal Hui Tae Kim, through interpreter Kitae Kim, said they liked Saipan so much that they chose to come back to the island for their 2011 trip.

Kim, along with 36 students, math teacher Hyeon Soo Kim, and English teacher Hyeo Chang Lee, arrived early yesterday morning.

The group made a courtesy visit to the Saipan Mayor’s Office on the same day.

Hui Tae Kim said he and Hyeon Soo Kim were here in October to accompany the school’s brass band, which performed in a concert at the Korean Presbyterian Church in celebration of the 2010 Korean Cultural Festival.

During the concert, the visiting brass band performed with members of the Saipan Community School Brass Band.

Hyeon Soo Kim noted, however, noted that this trip involves the participation of Dangjin Middle School’s top students.

According to Hui Tae Kim, the group is not really in high spirits when they left Korea since a typhoon recently passed through their country, even affecting their flight, which was delayed for about an hour and a half.

But upon waking up to the Saipan sunrise and seeing the island’s tropical beauty made them feel good, said Hui Tae Kim.

Cultural gift, certificates

Henry Hofschneider, officer in charge of the Saipan Mayor’s Office, presented Hui Tae Kim and student representative Hong Gwun Lin with certificates for their planned beach cleanup in Managaha today as part of their community service.

In return, Hui Tae Kim handed over a cultural gift, a Korean mask, to Hofschneider to show their appreciation to the Mayor’s Office staff.

Hui Tae Kim disclosed that their school, which has a population of about 1,300 students, plans to visit Saipan every two years. He added that they may also request students from Saipan to visit them in Korea next year.

Hofschneider said visits from student groups such as that of Dangjin Middle School help the island’s tourism industry “tremendously.”

“This would put Saipan on their map,” he told reporters.

Hofschneider said the group would learn more about local culture that they could share with their families and friends back home.

“I hope that our island would give them much pleasure and their experience on island would be wonderful,” he added.