GCS International signed a cooperation agreement on the creation of a “together-well-living” community and the promotion of world peace with the Korea Saemaul Undong Center and the GCS International Korea Chapter on September 28, 2021.

Under the three-party agreement, the organizations, based on mutual respect and trust, will cooperate to jointly organize educational, cultural, voluntary works and sporting events at home and abroad.
Respecting the three Saemaul Undong sprits of diligence, self-help and cooperation, and the basic GCS Movement principles of goodwill, cooperation and service, they also agreed to carry out activities for life movement, peace movement, community movement and global Saemaul Undong.

The three parties agreed to take advantage of their respective networks and human and material resources to carry out voluntary works at home and abroad, with part of the proceeds from the activities going to help empower the powerless, such as refugees and orphans, in developing countries.

Saemaul Undong, which started in 1970 in Korea, refers to any community development movement, which aims to build a village or community to improve villagers’ quality of life based on the spirits of diligence, self-help and cooperation, and approaches by the villagers, of the villagers and for the villagers.

With a global membership of about 80 countries, the U.N.-affiliated, Seoul-headquartered GCS International was established in 1979 by Dr. Young Seek Choue, founder of the Kyung Hee System, with three major focuses of goodwill, cooperation and service.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the conference room of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center in Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi Province, Korea, drew GCS International President Dr. Chungwon Choue, who also serves as president of World Taekwondo; Dr. Yum Hong-chul, president of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center; dr. Huh Jong, president of the GCS International Korea Chapter; Mr. Kim Seok-jin, secretary general of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center; Mr. Lee Kab-soo, director general of the Planning Bureau of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center; Ms. Park Mi-sun, director general of the International Cooperation Bureau of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center; Mr. Lee Won-jong, secretary general of the GCS International Korea Chapter; and Dr. Seok-jae Kang, secretary general of GCS International.

Dr. Chjungwon Choue said in his remarks during the signing ceremony, “I am so pleased to sign this agreement with the Korea Saemaul Undong Center and I expect great, tangible achievements in the near future.” “This agreement bears a great significance in that this year marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of my late father Dr. Young Seek Choue, who founded the GCS movement.”

Dr. Yum Hong-chul said, “It seems to be a little bit late in signing this agreement. As the GCS movement and the Saemaul Undong have much in common in their respective spirits, I expect a great synergy effect from this signing. In person, I have a good knowledge of the ‘well-living movement’ led by GCS founder Dr. Young Seek Choue, which was developed into the Saemaul Undong.”

Dr. Chungwon Choue (first from left), president of GCS International, poses with Dr. Yum Hong-chul (center), president of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center, and Dr. Huh Jong, president of the GCS International Korea Chapter, after signing a three-party agreement on the creation of a ‘together-well-living’ community and the promotion of world peace at the conference room of the Korea Saemaul Undong Center in Bundang-gu, Gyeonggi Province, Korea on September 28, 2021.