Gonjiam Middle School Leads National Mentoring Initiative For Migrant Youth As Demand Rises In Multicultural Cities

The lobby of Gonjiam Middle School is seen in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on July 16, 2025. The school is one of the sites hosting the Ministry of Justice's mentoring program for migrant-background youth. Launched in 2024 as a pilot initiative, the program selects 39 mentors from 21 countries to help students of foreign or multicultural backgrounds adapt to Korean society. It operates in classrooms located in municipalities that are members of the Council of Multicultural Cities and have high immigrant populations, based on local government participation. Due to high satisfaction among students, the program expands in 2025 to include two semesters with 20 double-period sessions each, compared to ten single-period sessions in 2024. (Photo by Chris Jung/NurPhoto via Getty Images)