The Seoul Metropolitan Government has teamed up with a group of organizations to provide training for migrant wives as food tour guides.

Participants will learn how to explain the story of Korea through cuisine in the program, organized by the Seoul Business Association, Seoul Creative Lab and Korea Culinary Tour Association.

The program will train 25 people in the history of traditional markets, Korean cooking and ingredients, hospitality and related topics.

Instruction will be led by Korean Culinary Tourism Association president Jia Choi, who also runs O’ngo Food Communications, a food tour company in Seoul. Other instructors will be Kim Tae-hee of Kyung Hee University, An Eungeumju of Big Farm, which runs tours of farms for Koreans and international chefs, Daniel Gray of food blog Seoul Eats, and Shim Gye-suk of Baewha Women’s University.

The organizers say they came up with the scheme to help overcome foreign wives’ difficulties in finding employment by using their knowledge of Korea and their native language skills.

The training will involve workshops, tours and classes. If students complete the program, they will get a certificate and be qualified to work at traditional markets as a food tour guide.

Lessons will be held at the Seoul Creative Lab near Bulgwang Station starting Nov. 25. Tuition costs 20,000 won and there will be five classes on regular weekday work hours till Dec. 23.

Candidates must be able to work without visa sponsorship in Korea, and have some Korean skills.

To apply, contact Lee Ji-hyun of the Korea Culinary Tourism Association via 070-4201-1607 or kocta@kocta.org by Sunday.

By Paul Kerry (paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)