Director’s Intern at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea via the Institute of Politics (IOP)
This summer working at the Committee for Foreign Affairs, Trade, and Unification at the National Assembly in Seoul, South Korea was one of the best experiences I’ve had at Harvard. My main responsibilities included writing an introduction to the National Assembly for foreign visitors in English, editing the English translation of the Republic of Korea-Turkey Free Trade Agreement, creating a presentation in English and Korean to introduce the Committee to visitors, and helping to organize the ROK National Assembly-U.S. Congress Youth Exchange. This was arguably my most important responsibility. I helped to facilitate between the English-speaking student delegation from the U.S. and the mostly Korean-speaking staff of the Committee. I also had to translate at various places where there was no adequate English translation. This also afforded me the opportunity to travel throughout Seoul and South Korea, including Jeolla province and the DMZ.
My fellow co-workers were incredibly helpful and understanding, instrumental in making this summer as amazing as it was. My fluency in Korean was critical in establishing relationships with my coworkers and supervisors as well as executing all of my projects and responsibilities. This internship also gave me a front seat in observing parliamentary activities in the South Korean government, as well as the opportunity to learn about the political culture and atmosphere in Seoul.