Saemaul Undong of Korea (1Week Training Program)

Todays topic is New Village Movement of Korea called as Saemaul Undong in Korean

How did Saemaul Undong start in Korea?

Despite continuous invasions and war, Korea had maintained a unique culture that was not influenced

by any of these incidents. However, the Japanese annexation at the end of the 19th century took away all that. Until the late 1960’s, the Korean society was uprooted by differences in ideas and ravished by poverty. The per capita GNP at that time was 85 dollars. The majority of Korean people did not have enough to eat their daily meals.

 

Situations were worst in the rural area. Farming houses accounted for 70% of the national population, but most of them couldn’t afford to buy food. Young children had to give hands for farming instead of going to school, and yet, they did not have enough to eat. The gap between urban and rural areas kept broadening, so many people swarmed in cities, and it made the urban area very unstable.

Korea couldn’t expect any progress of the nation. But national resources were not abundant and the government couldn’t take the responsibility of supporting rural communities. The only possible breakthrough was the awakening and participation of people.

But farmers were tired and exhausted of poverty and alienation and hardly had any will of reformation. In fact, they didn’t have any hope that their life could be better.

Thus, the government proposed Saemaul Undong Movement in rural communities to inspire the people and lead them into the progress of rural communities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Personal Experience

 

 

 

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  Basically, Saemaul Undong Movement is a movement seeking community development and modernization. Of all things, it is a movement to escape from poverty. This ideal is not limited to individual lifestyles and living conditions, but encompasses the whole community. It means not working for only myself, but for my village and for my country; not depending upon somebody else for help nor dreaming of a lucky fortune, but doing things with our own hands in the right ways. It cannot be done alone. We must stand together and help each other to move forward. Our village is a community where we work and live, and that is why we should develop it together, hand-in-hand. It is also a fight against old and deep pessimistic views such as ‘poverty is our fate’ or ‘it is impossible.’ It is a movement of getting over our pessimism, a movement of mental reformation. Goals of Saemaul Undong - Develop a modern, comfortable and convenient social community. - Establish companies that workers can be proud of and where sustained growth is achieved in a cooperative and trusting working environment. - Develop and maintain sound and healthy society whose members are able to enjoy pleasant and intimate relationships. - Build a continuously improving nation that we can be proud of. Saemaul Undong’s Guiding Spirit - Diligence : The realization of efforts to make the most of what is available. This entails the development of the society - Self-help: The will to independently define one's fate based on personal efforts, setting the basis of self- control and independence - Cooperation: The realization of self expansion that guarantees higher efficiency and development Five Steps of Saemaul Undong Movement Step 1: Basic Arrangements Three arrangements for the start: People, Seed Money, Basic Principles Forming a Core Group 1: Leaders Forming a Core Group 2: Cooperative working Forming a Core Group 3: Applying existing organization Forming a Core Group 4: Sectional organizations Raising Seed Money 1: Through sample cooperative project Raising Seed Money 2: By cooperative work Step 2: Operation of Projects Principles and standards for selecting project Planning a project Persuading villagers 1 - Set a model to villagers Persuading villagers 2 - ‘You can do it.’ Present results Collecting consensus 1- Small group meetings Collecting consensus 2- General meeting of villagers Let everybody play a part Prepare and manage public property Preparing center Encouraging each other We are one living creature. Let blood circulate Getting assistance from outside Step 3: Main Stage of Project Project 1 for living environment improvement: Eliminate inconveniences of the houses Project 2 for living environment improvement: Eliminate inconveniences of the village Project 3 for living environment improvement: Create an environment needed for income increase Project 1 for income increase: Remove the obstacles Project 2 for income increase: Launce cooperative projects Project 3 for income increase: Commercialize things around you Project 4 for income increase: Introduce something new Project 5 for income increase: Modify distributive construction Project 6 for income increase: Operating factory Consolidating community 1: Revise good morals and manners and extirpate evil practices Consolidating community 2: Providing culture center and facilities Consolidating community 3: Residents’ credit union movement Step 4: Final Stage of Project Share results and celebrate success Share long - term prospects Stabilization of joint funds Active sectional organizations Regularizing meetings for technology research Establishing village hall Publishing local newspaper Establishing partnership with other regions and government offices Setting up sisterhood relationship with foreign countries Step 5: Feedback at National Level Creation of a favorable environment by the Korean government Provision of supplies and funds by the Korean government Comprehensive government support system Intensive information and technology education - Saemaul Training Center Development by Stage Stage Priority Projects Characteristics GNP per capita Foundation & Groundwork (1970~73) Improve Living Environments: expand roads inside villages, construct laundry facilities, improve roofs Increase Income: expand agricultural roads, improve farmland and seeds, divide labor Attitude Reform: diligence, frugality, cooperative atmosphere Launching and igniting the campaign Government-initiated activities Top priority on improving living environment 257 in 1970 375 in 1973 Proliferation (1974~76) Increasing Income: straighten rice field ridges, consolidate creeks, encourage combined farming, operate common working places, identify non-agricultural income sources Attitude Reform: Saemaul education and public relation activities Improve Living Conditions: housing, water supply Expanding program scope and functions Increasing income and changing attitudes Earning national understanding and consensus 402 in 1974 765 in 1976 Energetic Implementation (1977~79) Rural Areas: modern housing, special purpose plant Urban Areas: paving alleys, cleaning Corporations and Factories: higher productivity, material conservation, sound labor management Larger units of implementation by developing Linkages among villages in the same region Economies of scale Appearance of distinct unit characteristics 966 in 1977 1,394 in 1976 Overhaul (1980~89) Promote Cooperative Social Atmosphere: kindness, order, selflessness, cooperation Economic Development: combined farming, distribution improvement, credit union activities Improve Living Environment: clean roads, develop parks, build better access roads Reborn as a private sector-organization Dividing the role between government and Private sectors Escape from inactivity and contraction 1,507 in 1980 4,934 in 1989 Autonomous Growth (1990~98) Sound Atmosphere: develop traditional cultures, emphasize hard work and sound lifestyles, recover moral ethics Economic Stability: economic recovery, urban-rural direct trade, diligence, frugality Improve Living Environment: cultivating better community environment, emphasizing autonomous living Reinforcing the basis of autonomy and self-reliance Meeting the need for liberalization and localization Efforts to overcome economic crisis 5,503 in 1990 10,548 in 1996 Second Phase Saemaul Undong (1998~2006) Mental Reform: build morals and a sense of citizenship Improve Living Environment: revive the rural economy, protect living environment Social Security: help poor neighbors Promote morals and achieve spiritual reform Build a warm community International Cooperation Business 15,830 in 2005 Achievements   Economic Development Modernization of Korea’s rural sector Increased agricultural household income Eradicated the global stereotypical view of the ‘helpless’ rural village Improved the agricultural production structure by employing machinery and improving agricultural management Social Development Raised the standard of life in the rural sector Higher education of the rural population Modernized lifestyles in agricultural households Attitudinal Changes “Can-Do Spirit,” a collective confidence-building effort, was promoted across the country Higher levels of self-help, cooperation, and mutual trust More emphasis was placed on practical benefits, rather than on unnecessary formalities Promoted rational goal-oriented behavior Belief that a better future can be cultivated with our own abilities Progressive and scientific attitudes Fueled expansion of the Korean tradition of helping others International Activities We had many countries asking us to teach Saemaul Undong Movement, but had not been able to do more than just prepare for International Saemaul Undong Movement due to distance and lack of professional experience. Congo Saemaul Undong was initiated in 2004 on the back of the active participation of a Congo student studying in Korea. Congo Saemaul project is being pushed forward to fit the country’s culture by Congolese. Congo Saemaul project is a three-step project: New Farm Project - My Farm Project- My House Project Step (Year) Project Target Step 1 (2004년) New Farm Project 20ha Step 2 (2005년) My Farm Project 180ha Step 3 (2006년) My House Project 20 houses Step 1: New Farm Project (Income Raising Model Village) Select four model villages Kasangula: Kinimi, Luila, Tendezi Madimba: Boko Cooperative Agency: RSG (Reserve Strategic General) / Nonghyup Description Clear land for farming: 20ha (60,000 pyong) / 5ha per village Farming tool supply (knives, hoes, shovels) Supply seeds for farming (corns, beans, peanuts, maniok) Implement projects as a cooperative project among villagers Step 2: My Farm Project Goal: Increasing household income by working and producing crops in my own farm Description: 1ha farming land per household Implementation: Select among volunteers from five villages and divide land by households. Each household cultivates the distributed land. Provide training to farmers and related parties before initiating the project. Farming tool supply (knives, hoes, shovels) Seed supply (corns, beans, peanuts, maniok) Results: 147 ha of land cleared for farming Step 3: My House Project Description: Building a model house in order to build my own house the following year Subject villages: Luila, Tendezi Size: 6m*10m=60m2 (18 pyong), two rooms-one kitchen-one living room-one bathroom, 20houses Income Increasing Project Pig Bank: 42 pigs, one village Goat Bank: 104 goats, three villages Training Institute Saemaul Undong Central Training Institute opened in 1972 for the purpose of training Saemaul leaders. Now located in the Bundang area, our training center is surrounded by beautiful natural environment and fresh air. Having served as the institution of Korean’s mental and attitudinal reform for decades, Saemaul Undong Central Training Institute is now taking its role to global levels by teaching our Saemaul Undong experience and know-how to civil servants from foreign countries who have continuously expressed their wishes to learn more about Korea’s Saemaul Undong Movement. History Jan 14, 1972 Saemaul Undong Training Institute for Productive Farmers opened in the Agricultural Cooperative College run by the National Agricultural Cooperative Federation April 8, 1973 Moved to the Farmers’ Center in Suwon-shi, Kyonggi-do. May 31, 1973 Adopted a new name, Saemaul Leaders’ Training Institute. May 26, 1983 Moved to an exclusive building constructed with government subsidy in Songnam-shi, Kyonggi-do. January 1, 1990 Changed name to Saemaul Undong Central Training Institute. November 10, 1993 Opened Education Institute for Day Care Teachers March 3rd, 1994 Opened Day Care Center.  Local Saemaul Training Program - Social Service Training - Democratic Citizen Training - Adolescent Training - Business Innovation Training - Attitudinal Reform Training  International Saemaul Training Program Educational Goal We are teaching the methods of implementing Saemaul Undong to foreign government officials who are seeking information on community development. We are also sharing successful experiences of Saemaul leaders in Korea and the Korean Saemaul leader training programs with other countries. These efforts to globalize Saemaul Undong will hopefully lead us to our ultimate goal of building a wealthy global community where no human being alive suffers from poverty. ▶ Teach secrets of success and methods of implementation ▶ Provide opportunity of learning feasible methods by visiting actual rural sites ▶ Build the Saemaul spirit of diligence, self-help and cooperation ▶ Educate methods of instructing residents for the purpose of community development ▶ Practice adapting Saemaul Undong to respective countries through lectures and group discussions