26 March 2026, Seoul - Ambassador Bernadette Therese Fernandez and Deputy Head of Mission and Consul General Edwin Gil Mendoza recently visited the Itaewon Global Village Center and the Seoul Global Center to learn about the best practices of the Centers in providing services and assistance to foreigners living in Seoul.

Ms. Katherine Corteza, Itaewon Global Village Center Director, shared the value of volunteer support to the Itaewon Global Village Center.  As a government agency, she encouraged participation in the Center’s volunteer group to support various programs to address the settlement needs of foreign residents such as language and cultural activities.

The Embassy inquired about Korean language learning opportunities to better equip personnel in extending assistance to Filipino nationals in distress. 

The Embassy also met with Ms. Hee Song, Settlement Support Team Leader and Ms. Mihyun (Elena) Go, Settlement Support Team Manager, of the Seoul Global Center, a model center in downtown Seoul that provides a wide range of counseling programs and government-linked educational programs to foreign nationals living in Seoul.  The programs include immigration, employment, business, real estate, legal, tax and accounting concerns, career training. According to Ms. Go, counselling sessions are accessible in various languages, including Filipino. 

The Seoul Global Center also proposed a business agreement with the Embassy which will formalize the cooperation of both institutions in providing assistance to Filipinos, most especially to overseas Filipino workers and migrant spouses. END