[Sponsored Report] New int’l school for BJFEZ

Officials pose for a photo after an MOU ceremony to establish Changwon International Foreign School in Ungdong District of the BJFEZ on April 6.

South Gyeongsang, Changwon City and the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority signed an MOU on Wednesday with Gyeongnam International Foreign School to establish Changwon International Foreign School in Ungdong District of the BJFEZ.

South Gyeongsang Gov. Kim Du-kwan, Changwon Mayor Park Wan-su, BJFEZ Commissioner Ha Myeng-keun, Gyeongnam Development Corp. CEO An Seung-taek, Jinhae Ocean Resort Co. President Choi Jung-ho, and Gyeongnam International Foreign School founder James Haddon attended the ceremony.

Gyeongnam International Foreign School plans to build Changwon International Foreign School on a 33,000 square meter parcel in Ungdong District and invest $20 million to establish the K-12 school. It aims to open in 2014.

The school will be the BJFEZ’s first school under foreign direct investment. Students eligible for enrollment are children of foreigners in Korea and Koreans who have lived abroad for at least 3 years. Thirty to 50 percent of the student body can be made up of Korean students.

In addition, foreign schools can be officially recognized by the Korean government if the principal applies and receives designation from the superintendent of education. Students who complete 102 hours of Korean language and social studies, such as Korean history, per year can receive official academic recognition.

James Haddon founded Busan Foreign School in 1996 and Gyeongnam International Foreign School in 2001. Since then, almost 200 graduates have matriculated to world-renowned universities.

Haddon will make every endeavor to make Changwon International Foreign School the best global school with his experience and know-how.

According to the Busan-Jinhae Free Economic Zone Authority, Changwon International Foreign School will address student and parent demand for a local foreign school. With no international school currently in the vicinity, they have had to travel to Busan, Daegu or Seoul.

The new school will meet the educational needs of more than 1,000 students in the region every year, and the BJFEZA says that over the long term, bringing in foreign schools to the BJFEZ could help improve education quality and foreigners in South Gyeongsang.

“The establishment of a foreign school in the area will further promote foreign investments and improve living conditions for foreigners residing here,” said the BJFEZA.