The students are participating in a program provided by an English camp in northern Seoul. The Suyu English Village will be home to 17 elementary and middle schoolers from Vladivostok and Khabarovsk for the next two weeks. Their aim like most Korean students who participate in these programs is full exposure to English, speaking it at all times.

The camp's marketing plan, coupled with support from the Korea Tourism Organization, targets children from non-English speaking countries that don't have many English education facilities.

Camp officials say the Russian group is the first of many more to come in following months. The package ties tourism and education, which translates into profits for the English camps.

The Russian students are expected to spend around US$1,400 each during their stay, excluding airfare. The education package will soon be offered to students in China and Japan, and camp officials are focusing on the marketing scheme for the future.

Arirang News