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Operators of the Internet cafe "U.N. and International Organizations”
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Experience volunteering often brings a desire to give back to world
Gang Min-gu, 28, set a goal of finding work at the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP) after 2005 visits to Israel as an interpreter for the Korean Youth Delegation of the Commission on Youth Protection and Tanzania as a member of the Internet Overseas Volunteers. He was deeply affected when in Tanzania he met infants with HIV and malaria, and decided he needed to do something different. Gang, currently a student at a graduate school of international studies, has performed various part-time jobs, such as the translation of foreign news for broadcasting companies and internship activities for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, all to accumulate experience in order to get a job at an international organization. Jeong Ye-eun, 24, has a dream of becoming a staff member at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) after taking part in voluntary activities in Cambodia in 2004. Jeong, a student of Kyung Hee University's Graduate Institute of Peace Studies, is due to go to Lebanon as an intern for the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) next month. For this, Jeong, who is versed in English and French, is learning Arabic and Spanish, as well. Many young South Koreans are making efforts to join international organizations. Due to the ascension of Ban Ki-moon to the position of U.N. secretary-general, the efforts of such young people have drawn more attention than ever. Even though the nation has enjoyed a significant position in the international community, comparably few South Koreans have joined international bodies. Currently, 16 Koreans work at U.N. headquarters, ten at the U.N Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, two at the U.N. Economic and Social Commission for Africa, four at the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and two at the U.N. Environment Programme, among other organizations. An Internet cafe hosted by Web portal Daum named "U.N. and International Organizations," which opened in November 2001, has a membership of about 25,000, and nearly 200 out of them are preparing to advance to international organizations. More than 30 members already take part in such organizations as regular staff, interns or junior professional officers (JPOs). Besides this, Internet cafes like "JPO Together" and "Youth Clip" are frequently visited by people who want to get a job at these organizations.Jeon Ji-eun, an operator of the cafe "U.N. and International Organizations," said that an increasing number of young Koreans who dream of taking part in international organizations are visiting the site. People mention satisfaction for the work and high salaries as the perks of such jobs. According to Yu Hi-yeong, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the basic annual salary of a JPO is about US$40,000, but combined with the benefits, the total salary reaches about US$80,000-140,000. People working at international organizations, however, advise their juniors not to have illusions about such jobs. Lee Su-yeon, 28, a JPO at the WFP, said that she often regretted her decision due to the many dangers and hardships accompanying the job. Moreover, it is truly difficult work to obtain, as there are so many applicants. More than 200 applied for a test conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade last year to select five JPOs to be sent to international organizations. Hong Jeong-wan, 37, who works at U.N. headquarters in New York, said, "It is not desirable for new university graduates to [absorb their energy into] joining international bodies," advising them to first gain ability in their respective field. Please direct questions or comments to [englishhani@hani.co.kr]
