AKS’s Center for International Affairs Division of the Understanding Korea Project hosted the “Online Textbook Seminar for Educators of Guatemalas” over four days from October 13 (Tuesday) through October 16 (Friday), 2020. We had originally planned on inviting four experts from the Guatemalan Ministry of Education and the textbook publisher Santillana for a seven-day program in Korea. However, due to the spread of coronavirus, we held the program online.

Using Zoom, we held the textbook seminar on October 13-14 and held lectures about Korea on October 15-16. Throughout the four days, eight additional people from the Ministry of Education joined the four presenters, so we can see that interest about Korea is high in Guatemala.

Presenters at the textbook seminar included researchers from the Division of the Understanding Korea Project and education and textbook experts from Guatemala. Topics of discussion included each countries’ curriculum and education systems, Korea’s reading education, Guatemala’s multilingual textbooks and teaching methods, Korea-related reading material found in Guatemalan textbooks approved by the government, and additional Korea-related material that could be included in Guatemalan textbooks.

The lectures on Korean culture and literature were an opportunity for the participants to expand their knowledge of Korean history and culture and Korean literature. The participants expressed interest in Korean literature that has been translated into Spanish. Orlando Escobar, the officer in charge of improving elementary education at the Ministry of Education, reported that he bought and read the Korean book Leafie: A Hen into the Wild after receiving the lecture notes before the program.

Through this online culture training, we were able to enhance the Guatemalan textbook experts’ interest and understanding of Korean education, history, and culture. The participants agreed to work together to promote the mutual understanding of students in each country through textbooks and Understanding Korea materials.