The current success of the Association for Vietnamese community in Jeonbuk Province (South Korea) is largely thanks to the contributions of its President, Ms. Ung Dieu Linh with the Korean name Kim Ji-yeon.
In 2007, Hai Phong native Ung Dieu Linh got married and moved to Korea with her husband. By 2019, the Vietnamese community in Jeonbuk province had grown to over 12,000 people, accounting for 25 percent of the total foreign population. However, Ms. Linh noticed that opportunities for the Vietnamese community to connect and support each other were still limited. Many Vietnamese residents were also facing difficult living conditions and needed assistance.
To address these issues, the Embassy and the General Association of Vietnamese in Korea established an association. Although it was established in 2019, it was not until April 2024 that the association opened its office.
According to Ms. Linh, the opening of the new office represents a significant milestone for the association. She noted that sustaining a Vietnamese association is particularly challenging, as it relies entirely on voluntary efforts, community contributions, and limited support from local authorities. Establishing a dedicated office provides a stable venue for hosting training sessions and community programs. Currently, the Association organizes two major annual events including a community sports festival and Tet celebrations.
In an effort to enhance operational efficiency, the Association has established collaborative agreements with various local agencies across multiple sectors. This includes partnerships with local hospitals to assist the Vietnamese community with medical examinations and treatments, collaborations with educational institutions and training centers in the region, and engagement with local law firms to offer affordable legal advice and support to the Vietnamese community.
Furthermore, the association is involved in fundraising activities to aid those in challenging situations and to facilitate Vietnamese language classes.
Ms. Linh shared that her motivation to serve the community began when she first arrived in her husband's hometown. Living in a rural area, she balanced work, studies, and raising three children within her husband's family. Through this experience, she came to understand the challenges faced by expatriates trying to build a life in a foreign country.
She also recognized a crucial truth that in any overseas community, no single individual—no matter how exceptional—can alone elevate the standing of the whole. Moreover, in a country like Korea, where education is highly valued, lacking a formal degree presents significant barriers to employment. To help reshape local perceptions of people from developing nations, she concluded that the only path forward was through self-improvement.
In addition to her role as President of the Association, Ms. Linh is also a university lecturer. After earning her master’s degree in social welfare in 2021, she began teaching at Howon University. By March 2022, she was appointed Deputy Head of the university’s Multicultural Family Support Center. Initially focused on teaching social welfare courses, she expanded her role in September 2022 to include Korean language instruction for international students, in response to growing demand.
Her leadership responsibilities continued to grow. In March 2023, Ms. Linh was officially appointed Head of the Multicultural Family Support Center, and in August 2024, she also assumed the position of Deputy Head of the International Cooperation Center at Howon University.
Speaking about the Multicultural Family Support Center, Ms. Linh proudly noted that Howon University is the only institution in Korea to offer such a department. The center is dedicated to supporting married and working individuals in pursuing certificate programs through extracurricular study. For the undergraduate program, only a high school diploma is required. The university offers tuition support ranging from 50 percent to full exemption and provides various scholarships to encourage academic excellence.
Additional support includes babysitting services for mothers with young children, shuttle buses, Korean language courses when needed, and job placement assistance. Currently, Howon University is home to 750 Vietnamese students.
Reflecting on the Association’s journey, Ms. Linh acknowledged the initial challenges of recruiting executive members and sustaining the organization's budget. Today, however, the Association has become increasingly stable and is pursuing new development initiatives. This year, it plans to collaborate with the local Chinese and Filipino associations to co-host events for the foreign community—an effort aimed at enhancing the visibility of the Vietnamese community and fostering broader international connections.
