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Cheorwon, June 12, 2025 (Yonhap News) — American middle and high school students have traveled all the way from Los Angeles to the rural town of Cheorwon, South Korea, to help prevent a small countryside school from disappearing.

The nonprofit charity “With Music,” based in Los Angeles and active across the U.S., is visiting Dochang Elementary School in Cheorwon from June 11 to 13. During their three-day stay, the students are engaging in a variety of activities with local children, including English musicals and a mini concert. Dochang Elementary, the host school for this cross-cultural exchange, once faced closure when its enrollment dropped to only seven students in 2022. Thanks to persistent efforts from Principal Lee Eun-sook and her staff—who firmly believed that small rural schools could be a key to solving Korea’s population crisis—the school survived. Through open-house events and outreach to parents across the region, they succeeded in increasing enrollment to 17 in 2023 and to 24 students this year, bringing new life to the campus.

The story of Dochang Elementary’s revival was featured in the Los Angeles Times in May 2023, when the newspaper’s Seoul correspondent reported on South Korea’s demographic challenges and highlighted the plight of small rural schools facing extinction. Inspired by that article, Sara Jung (49), the founder of With Music, decided last fall to help. Having previously led charity projects for marginalized youth in child-care centers in Gyeonggi Province and alternative schools in Japan, Jung’s organization this time set its sights on supporting a rural Korean school.

“When I first called the school, they hung up several times because they thought it was a voice-phishing scam,” Jung recalled with a laugh. “But our sincere wish to help eventually reached across the ocean.”

Since early this year, the American and Korean students have been connecting through online English lessons, helping to ease any awkwardness before their in-person meeting. On June 11, the long-awaited first encounter was filled with excitement and joy. Divided by grade levels, the American students led various hands-on classes they had prepared in advance. Throughout the three-day visit, the students from both countries are practicing for an English musical performance and a small community concert, which they plan to present to local residents on June 13. The classrooms are filled with laughter as the students communicate in a mix of Korean and English, building warm memories together. Peter Jung (49), another With Music representative, said, “We see this visit as planting a small seed of hope in a rural Korean school. We hope that efforts like this will grow and bring more attention and support to countryside education.”

In addition to school activities, the American students toured the DMZ in Cheorwon, learning firsthand about the reality of Korea’s division. In the evenings, they stayed with local families, experiencing Korean hospitality and rural life. They expressed surprise and affection for the school’s charm and beauty.

Ailey Jang (17), Fiore Jung (18), and Seoyun (Elsa) Lee (18) said together, “Dochang Elementary is even prettier and better equipped than the public schools we attended in the U.S. The students here welcomed us with such warmth—it really touched our hearts.” They added, “It’s heartbreaking that a school this beautiful was once on the brink of closing. We don’t understand why so many people feel pressured to move to Seoul instead of appreciating wonderful communities like this one.”

Principal Lee Eun-sook expressed gratitude for the visit, saying, “I’m deeply thankful to the students who flew nearly 15 hours from the United States to come here. I hope this experience helps our children realize that even small schools have their own unique strengths.”