Republic of Korea

Two cases of study circles in the Republic of Korea show how this small-scale form of lifelong learning implementation can meet different learning needs. The first is taken from Uijeongbu City, where the Uijeongbu Mom Sam Atelier learning club brings together mothers who want to learn more about good parenting. It was formed in 2006 and pursues ‘pleasurable childcare and happy education’ by organizing social activities and fostering a culture of community learning. As part of the Uijeongbu Lifelong Learning Exhibition, the group organizes a family play camp with games and lectures on parental mentoring. The group also reaches out to the community with voluntary services including cooking and childcare (Yoon, 2020). In Osan City, a study circle has been established to support those with low levels of literacy skills. The Osan City Literary Workshop aims to help people from this target group become passionate about learning by providing them with experiential learning opportunities. The principles of lifelong learning are reflected in the workshop’s recruitment of participants: those who benefit range in age from their thirties to their sixties and come from different backgrounds. Organizers of the study circle bring their practices and experiences to the National Literacy Teacher Conference each year and collaborate with adult literacy instructors in other cities to share effective methods (Moon, 2020).

The Seoul 50 Plus Foundation aims to improve the quality of life of older people by promoting a balanced lifestyle, social participation and the sharing of deep experiences. The initiative was introduced to ‘build social capital and solve social problems’ of Seoul. The programme is targeted at adults between the ages of 50 and 64; it provides customized services for the ‘50+ generation’ by integrating employment, welfare, education and counselling policies.

The Constitution of the Republic of Korea acknowledges that all citizens ‘shall have an equal right to receive an education corresponding to their abilities’ and gives the state a duty to ‘promote lifelong education’. Lifelong learning (LLL) is implemented across national and local levels. The 1999 Lifelong Education Act establishes that all levels of government are responsible for promoting lifelong education policies that provide all citizens with opportunities to participate in lifelong education. The Act also requires the Ministry of Education to develop a comprehensive lifelong education promotion plan every five years at the national level, setting mid- and long-term policy objectives and the basic direction of lifelong learning promotion.