The Asia Society Korea Center, a nonprofit educational organization, said yesterday it has established a scholarship fund for multiethnic and refugee children in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Seoul Global Center.
As part of the new scholarship initiative, the Korean branch of the Asia Society plans to hold a drawing contest under the theme of "superheroes" in May for elementary school students.
"Children from low-income, multiethnic families often go through an identity crisis and a difficult puberty," said Yvonne Kim, executive director of the Asia Society Korea Center.
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"We hope the drawing contest serves as an opportunity to improve our understanding of multicultural families and help further the hopes and dreams of these children."
Participants in the drawing contest will be selected based on recommendations by elementary school teachers in Seoul and the UNHCR. Five winners will be chosen and awarded scholarships of between 1 million won ($864) and 3 million won.
The announcement came during a year-end dinner event hosted by the ASKC yesterday, where about 200 dignitaries including Prime Minister Chung Un-chan attended.
"No one in our society should suffer from racial, language or cultural differences," Chung said during his speech.
"The government is pushing ahead with a comprehensive policy to support multicultural families."
Founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller III to promote greater knowledge of Asia in the United States, the Asia Society now has offices in 11 cities around the Asia Pacific region.
(sophie@heraldcorp.com)

By Kim So-hyun