Gyeonggi Province’s Home Coming Project for Multicultural Families takes first step; Chan Tinyan and her family travel to her home country on June 29

◇ Selected as the first beneficiaries of the Home Coming Project for Multicultural Families by Gyeonggi Province, Chan Tinyan (30, Gwacheon City) and her family departed for Chan’s home country, Vietnam. This marked Chan’s first visit to Vietnam in five years. ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News

“Xin đa tạ (‘Thank you’ in Vietnamese). I sincerely thank Gyeonggi Province for giving me the opportunity to visit my home in Vietnam with my family.”

Gyeonggi Province’s Home Coming Project for Multicultural Families took its first step on June 29. We met Chan Tinyan (30, Gwacheon City) at 9:00am on June 29; she told us how great it felt to be visiting her home country of Vietnam with her family for the first time in five years. 

Chan, the heroine of this story, married her husband, Kim Woon-gil (50), in 2010 and settled down in Gwacheon City, Gyeonggi Province. She has a nice little family with two children, aged three and one. 

For the five years she spent in Korea, Chan ached to see her parents. However various circumstances including financial issues made it difficult for her to plan a trip to visit her home in Vietnam.

This past May, Chan heard the news that Gyeonggi Province was offering support to multicultural families who were unable to visit their home countries due to economic difficulties. 

“That was when I heard that Gyeonggi Province was offering a chance for me to visit my home country of Vietnam. My feelings went through the roof when I heard that news.”

Chan applied to the Home Coming Project for Multicultural Families operated by Gyeonggi Province, and finally got her chance to visit her home just like she did in her dreams. 

An official with the Gyeonggi Provincial Government said, “Out of 295,842 multicultural family members nationwide, 86,337 reside in Gyeonggi Province; this is equivalent to 29.2%.” He added, “Many multicultural families are unable to travel home for long periods of time due to economic difficulties just like Chan and her family. There was a need for this kind of support.”

As such, the province proposed its project in March directly to the Korea Gas Corporation’s Gyeonggi regional headquarters and Jeju Air, which promised robust funding. In May, Gyeonggi Province Governor Nam Kyung-pil, Korea Gas Corporation’s Gyeonggi Regional Director Kim Won-bae, Jeju Air CEO Choi Kyu-nam, and Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea Secretary General Kim Hyo-jin signed an MOU regarding visits by multicultural families to their home countries, thus establishing a foundation for the full-fledged pursuit of the project. 

According to the agreement, Gyeonggi Province provides administrative support, the Gyeonggi regional headquarters of the Korea Gas Corporation funds the home coming project, Jeju Air provides free return tickets, and the Gyeonggi Community Chest of Korea manages donations with regards to the project. 

Gyeonggi Province, the Korea Gas Corporation, and Jeju Air plan to cover return airfares, living expenses, production costs for commemorative albums, fuel surcharges (Bunker Adjustment Factor) and more for 55 families (220 people) over the next three years. 

Family and Women’s Division Director Cho Young-il said, “This Home Coming Project for Multicultural Families has been made possible with corporations making social contributions. It holds great significance in terms of spreading a sense of solidarity in the community.”

On the day of Chan’s departure to Vietnam, a group of people from the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, Korea Gas Corporation, and Gyeonggi Province’s Center for Multicultural Families gathered at the airport to offer support and send off the first family to benefit from the home coming project. 

Addressing Chan and her family, Family and Women’s Division Director Cho Young-il said, “Although we were born in different places, we are one in the name of Gyeonggi Province.” He added, “I hope this home coming offers hope and encouragement to multicultural families, and I wish them a healthy and happy journey.”

Chan replied, “I couldn’t sleep at all last night because I was so excited at the thought of seeing my family at home.” She continued, “I am so happy I can see my family in Vietnam. I thank you once again.” With that, she thanked Jeju Air for the tickets and boarded the plane bound for her home in Vietnam. 

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government is pursuing customized policy support projects including Korean language education, home instruction, interpretation/translation services, career counselling, vocational training, and education to foster understanding of multicultural societies to help multicultural families adjust to life in Korea.

ⓒ Gyeonggi G-News | Cheon Kyung-nam ckn0403@kg21.net

http://gnews.gg.go.kr/news/news_detail.asp?number=201506291539597055C048&s_code=C048