{
  "id": 7252719,
  "title": "Foreign residents form Seoul's new community volunteer corps",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/foreign-residents-form-seouls-new-community-volunteer-corps",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T05:57:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/southkorea/society/20260914/foreign-residents-form-seouls-new-community-volunteer-corps"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Seoul has recently established a new volunteer organization specifically for its international residents, marking a fresh approach to civic engagement in Korea. As the city's foreign population continues to play an active role in shaping its civic life, the Seoul Metropolitan Government recently inaugurated the Global Baro Volunteer Corps at Seoul City Hall. The initiative, under the motto \"One Heart Seoul, Global Hands,\" attracted around 200 participants, including Deputy Mayor for Administrative Affairs Kim Sung-bo and volunteers from various countries.\n\nThe volunteer corps comprises 314 foreigners, organized into 16 teams representing 42 nationalities. These members hail from diverse backgrounds, including Vietnam, China, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, Myanmar, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, and Malaysia. The concept for this project emerged last year when foreign residents, on their own initiative, joined municipal relief teams to assist in responding to wildfires in Andong and Yeongdeok, as well as flood recovery efforts in Yesan and Gapyeong. The government was impressed by the eagerness of these foreign volunteers and decided to formalize their contributions into a structured volunteer corps.",
  "summary": "Seoul has officially launched a new volunteer group composed of international residents in an initiative representing a new civic engagement model for Korea, as its foreign community continue to take an active role in shaping the city's civic life. The Seoul Metropolitan Government hosted an inauguration ceremony last weekend for the Global Baro Volunteer Corps at Seoul City Hall. Operating under…",
  "key_points": [
    "Seoul launches Global Baro Volunteer Corps for international residents",
    "314 foreign volunteers organized into 16 teams from 42 nationalities",
    "Initiative inspired by foreign residents aiding in disaster relief efforts"
  ],
  "editors_take": "This development formalizes the contributions of Seoul's foreign residents, who have already shown eagerness to participate in civic life, into a structured volunteer corps, recognizing their role in shaping the city's community.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Foreign residents form Seoul's new community volunteer corps",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/foreign-residents-form-seouls-new-community-volunteer-corps-7254777",
        "published": "2026-09-14T06:07:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}