Gyeonggi-do will run the “Planting the Friendship Forest to Prevent the Yellow Dust Syndrome” program with 29 young men and women from the province. They will visit China and Mongolia where the Yellow Dust is made to increase the public awareness and interest on environmental preservation. 

Participants will plant trees with young men and women from China and Mongolia in the region where the Yellow Dust is made for six days between March 30 and April 4. They will also take part in various exchange activities by visiting the Beijing University, joining the conference with students of Korean language at the university, and engaging in a number of cultural experience events in Mongolia. 

Applicants must be residents of Gyeonggi-do who are 24 years old or younger (high school student or above). Their qualification will be reviewed with a particular attention paid to the social service experience. The final selection will be made through a random drawl at the presence of a police officer. All participants must pay \250,000, which includes the cost for visa. 

The voluntary service group will include 33 persons – 4 civic officers and Youth Volunteer Center employees and 29 participants. Among 29 public participants, 4 will be selected from the underprivileged class to be exempted from the fee requirement. 

Those who wish to take part in the event can download the application from the notice board of Gyeonggi Youth Volunteer Center website (http://www.kgyvc.or.kr). All applications must be submitted via email (kgyvc@hanmail.net) or fax (031-232-9388) by 5pm on March 11. 

A provincial official stated, “This event is intended to induce local society’s interest on environment beyond the regional and national boundaries. The young of today are encouraged to take part in volunteer activities where they will learn about the importance of environment and public participation. It will be an opportunity to better the image of Korea in China while heightening the two countries’ mutual understanding and friendship.”