Secretary General of Korea Saemaul Undong Center Lee, Myoung Sik and the Korea Saemaul Undong Center Team visited Myanmar for five days (January 23-27) for a site inspection of Myanmar Saemaul Undong.

The visit was planned to check on the progress of Myanmar’s Global SMU model village project after its completion and to prepare measures for support and management. Myanmar promoted Saemaul Undong projects in East Phaunge and Thanatpin SMU model villages for five years (2012-2016). Since these communities were designated as sustainable management villages in 2017, they have been carrying out activities such as hosting the national Saemaul leaders’ convention for the dissemination of Saemaul Undong in Myanmar. In addition to this, the inspection team visited the center to check on matters related to the training that will be conducted at the Agricultural Extension & Rural Development Training Center in Naypyidaw, the capital of Myanmar, from this year.

The inspection team visited East Phaunge and Thanatpin as well as two self-generated SMU model villages to meet with local stakeholders and listen to project plans, progress, results, and challenges. Korea Saemaul Undong Center will identify whether these villages can promote Saemaul Undong projects continuously in the future and reflect the result in the Center’s project planning. 

When the team visited the Agricultural Extension & Rural Development Training Center, which opened this year, it interviewed stakeholders to check on targets, demand, and status of training and to discuss cooperative plans with relevant organizations including Thanlyn Co-operative University for Saemaul Undong projects. In addition, the team checked the facilities, training programs and materials for training as well as the other training-related matters.