With its work, the Europe-Korea Foundation (EKF), charity arm of the EUCCK aims to improve relations and enhance cooperation between Europe and the Korean Peninsula. EKF's main activities for the past three years have included the distribution of scholarships to Korean students with excellent academic records wishing to study at European Universities but who are facing financial difficulties to support their studies there. Furthermore, EKF organizes cultural and sport events to further develop the understanding and cooperation between the EU and the Korean Peninsula. EKF also helps other South Korean charity organizations that care for the underprivileged, such as orphanages, shelters for children and women in need, homes for the elderly as well as handicapped people. This is done by raising funds and support from Korean and European companies to help improve their quality of life. The EKF has over the years supported the SOS Children’s Village, Motungii Shwimpteo, Aeranwon and Anna House etc. Given below are some of the main events that are organized by EKF with the support of various EU member companies.

The EKF Scholarship Program for South Korean students, awarded for the first time in 2003 to eleven students, was established to promote Europe as an academic center. With the Scholarship Program, EKF wants to support South Korean students with excellent academic records, who wish to undertake their graduate studies in Europe. In 2004, EKF also established a Scholarship Program for North Korean students through which North Korean students and experts will be sent to Europe to study various fields, such as economics, business, international law, etc., from an international perspective. The EKF Scholarship program consists of two main parts: First, the support of student's living expenses , which is sponsored by a number of European companies and second, tuition fee reductions at certain universities, which is being supported by some European organizations and universities. On Friday, July 9th, 2008, EKF hosted the 2008 EKF Scholarship Programme Award Ceremony at the new office of EUCCK. Mr. Dong Hoon Jee, Deputy Secretary General of EUCCK and President of EKF, presided the ceremony. This year, a total of ten students were awarded an EKF scholarship, which consisted of either a full financial support or deductions on the students’ tuition fees. As for the financial support, EKF, along with Diageo Korea Ltd., selected one student from a large number of applicants with excellent academic backgrounds and real financial needs. The awardee, Mr. Eun Yong-Soo, a graduate student from Yonsei University, will pursue a PhD course in International Relations at Warwick University in United Kingdom. He will receive a daily allowance for his living expenses during one academic year, along with a round trip ticket to UK. Furthermore, this year EKF decided to dedicate the donations of the EKF contributors companies to create 5 special scholarships to provide a financial help to 5 Korean students. The awardees are: Mr. Kim Hyoung-Soo, who will join a PhD programme in Mechanical Engineering at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, Ms. Kim Se-Young, who will study an MA in Industrial and Strategic Design at University of Art and Design of Helsinki in Finland, Ms. Lee So Yeon, who will start an MA in Oriental and Asian Language Translation at Bonn University in Germany, Mr. Cha Ji-Ho, who will attend an MSc in Forced Migration at Oxford University in UK, and finally Mr. Kim Han-Chul, who will attend an MSc in Water and Environmental Management at Loughborough University in UK. EKF would like to thank our members whose contribution allowed these students to go to so diverse European countries. Furthermore, for a fourth year in a row, EKF, in cooperation with the University of Nottingham and UKEO, also offered tuition fee reductions to four students who wish to study at the University of Nottingham and the University of Birmingham. The awardees to Nottingham University are: Ms. Lee Yu-Jin, studying an MA in TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages), Mr. Lee dan-Il, studying an MSc in Economics and Econometrics, and Mr. Lee Kun-Woo, studying an MSc in International Business. The recipient of the UKEO scholarship is Mr. Heo Yong-Chang, for a PhD in Social Policy at Birmingham University. The foundation hopes that these students will become cultural ambassadors promoting friendship and mutual understanding between Korea and Europe. Since its launch in 2003, EKF has been able to support around 40 students, selected according to their exceptional academic merit and financial needs. They will start their Master or PhD programmes in September. If your company is interested in joining this list of companies by supporting any number of students, please contact the EKF office now.

The Cine-Cafe screenings have taken place on every Wednesday morning (from 10 am to 12 pm) at the French Cultural Centre and on the third Thursday of every month (from 7 pm to 9 pm) at the conference room of EUCCK. This time, Cine-Cafe will be scheduled for two or three times a year, screening movies that reflects the Korean culture and also having the chance to screen dedicated movies from KBS for international competition. After the movie, there is a discussion session with all the participants to discover, understand and exchange opinion about the movie and its cultural features. The entrance fee, as always, is 8,000 KRW per person and includes snacks and beverages (tea, coffee, and juice). The funds raised through EKF Cine-Cafe go to Motungii Shwimpteo and Seongshim Dideumdol, two related shelters for young teenage girls in Bucheon.

Starting last year, EKF in association with HSBC Korea and Seoul City, organized an award event to enhance the heritage preservation and development of distinguished traditional art of the city. This year too the European enterprises in Korea attracted attention by sponsoring the "2008 Seoul Traditional Artist Awards" ceremony and exhibition to enhance the heritage preservation and development of distinguished traditional art of Seoul. Eight "Intangible Cultural Assets" of Seoul were honored at a glittering ceremony hosted by The Europe-Korea Foundation (EKF), charity arm of the EUCCK, in association with HSBC Korea and Seoul Metropolitan Government, on May 14th, at the Westin Chosun Hotel. Around 300 distinguished guests participated in the ceremony, showing their passionate interest in Seoul traditional culture and beauty that bears the breath of the ancestors. Eight European Ambassadors, including from Switzerland, Slovakia, the United Arab Emirates, Ecuador,the Republic of Azerbaijan, and other Embassy Related Officials from the EU Delegation, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and more, CEOs of foreign enterprises, numerous Seoul Intangible Cultural Assets and Seoul Vice Mayor, Ra Jingu attended the ceremony showing their passionate interest in Seoul traditional culture and beauty. HSBC Korea and EKF presented the Traditional Artist Awards and a cash prize of 5 million won each to 6 intangible cultural assets belonging to different categories. The awards were presented to Master of Rush Weaving-Han Soon Ja, Master of Lattice of Window and Door Shim Yong Sik, Master of Dancheong Yang Yong Ho, Master of Jangan Archery Competition Kim Kyoung Won, Master of Pansori Drum Performance Jung Hwa Young, and Master of Court Tea Ceremony Kim Eu Jung. In addition, sponsoring certificate and sponsor donation of 5 million won was presented to 2 selected categories (Master of Natural Lacquerware-Son Dae Hyeon, Master of Ornamental Knot Kim Eun Yeong) by Maxxium Korea and Boehringer Ingelheim Korea. They were delivered through the "one company one cultural heritage programme" at the ceremony. The awards ceremony is the result of a partnership agreement signed by Oh Se-hoon (Metropolitan Government), Simon Cooper (HSBC Korea, CEO) and Jean-Jacques Grauhar (Europe-Korea Foundation, Co-President) last year in March, to collaborate in preservation and development of Seoul Traditional Heritage. In line with the efforts to support the artists, HSBC Korea and EKF held a donation campaign last winter and decided to open and run a website in order to further support the artists. The EKF hopes to continue sponsorship of Korean traditional art which should be passed to the next generation as great cultural heritage with the help of EU member companies.

The Europe-Korea Foundation with the support of The Autism Society of Korea is organizing a Drawing Competition for autistic children in Korea. This competition is designed to children with Autism an opportunity express their dreams and feelings. This project will help autistic people and their families, to raise awareness with regard to the difficulties an autistic child faces and the hardships a family must overcome to provide for such a child with Autism. It will also serve to make people understand that they can help and teach them how. EKF and ASK would like to help parents to support their autistic children through this Drawing Competition. The 12 winning drawings will be announced and printed on a special Calendar 2009 and to support the Universal Children’s day on November 20th, 2008 and the World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd, 2009. The total 50 selected drawings from the competition will be exhibited in middle of October 2008 at Ssamziegil, Insadong, Seoul. Autism is much more common than most people think. People from all nationalities and cultural, religious and social backgrounds can have autism. It is a lifelong condition: children with autism grow up to become adults with autism. The exact cause of autism is still being investigated. However, research suggests that a combination of factors may affect brain development. Many people with autism have keen special interests often from a fairly young age. Their interest may change over time or be life long, and can be anything from art or music, to trains or computers. Some people with autism may eventually be able to work or study in related areas. For others, it will remain a hobby. In addition to these above mentioned events, EKF supports various other Korea-EU international cooperation projects, education and cultural exchange programmes and charity events on a regular basis.