The Seoul City government will invite foreign residents in Seoul to local Korean homes to help them better understand Korean culture.

The city government plans to select 100 foreigners and let them visit local Korean families to experience culture and customs and enhance understanding of Korean people by having dinner together and playing traditional games on Dec. 4, officials said.

Those who want to take part should fill application forms available on the website of the Seoul Global Center (global.seoul.go.kr) and submit them by e-mail or fax from Nov. 15-22. Successful applicants, selected on a first-come, first-served basis, will be announced on Nov. 24.

Those who apply as a family or migrant workers will be given priority in the selection process, officials said.

Seoul citizens who wish to invite foreigners to their homes should also follow the same procedure.

Seoul citizens with three or more generations in their families will be the most desirable candidates.

“I invited Indonesian workers to my home last May. We had a very good time having dinner together with Korean food and playing the traditional Korean board game yut-nori,” said 48-year-old citizen Lee Hyung-suk.

“It was a very good time to understand their culture as well as to introduce our culture to them.”

Director of living assistance for foreigners in Seoul said: “The program will be an opportunity for both foreign residents here and local Korean families to share and understand each other’s cultures. And I hope it will change migrant workers’ perception toward Korea which has been distorted by some people’s discrimination here and keep the good image of Korea until they go home.”

For more information, visit global.seoul.go.kr, or call (02) 2632-9933.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)