Membership Training in Korea

Membership Training (MT) is an event held among university students in South Korea. These events last roughly two days and are considered a free-form training session, where students spend time socializing with peers in the same academic majors or clubs, often at a remote location.

Scene of MT

Overview

MT's are designed especially to establish esprit de corps among university students within the same academic year, major or club, and to encourage students and teachers of these groups to become familiar with each other. They are generally scheduled at the beginning of the school year when there is a large influx of newcomers.

The purpose of these "ice-breaking" events is to help freshman students become accustomed to campus life, to establish connections within the major or club, for members to exchange information, and to boost morale. Participants stay at resorts, often in remote locations, for a couple of days, staying overnight.

The responsibility of organizing the event rests with student leaders. Their responsibilities include: recruiting participants, arranging recreational activities, and making reservations. The organizer's primary job is to make the event interesting and unique by applying creative flair.

Varieties of membership training

There are several types of membership training.

Sae-teo (Korean: 새터) is an MT that helps freshman students learn the basics of campus life and gives them a chance to get to know other freshmen. These sessions open before lectures start, and are focused on building relationships.

"OT" is orientation for the people within the same university department. OT's are centred on conveying the necessary information about campus life, such as course registration, specific classes, and annual events. The students are introduced the department's professors.

Students may also attend an activity called ''Nonghwal'', which is conducted by volunteers who want to help Korea's rural communities during summer vacation.

Beyond these official MT's, students often organize unofficial MT's. They are planned by various campus clubs whose members want to create groups of like-minded friends.[1]

Students arriving at an MT.

Common experiences in membership training

Students often travel to their destination using chartered buses.

Upon arriving, the student union prepares dinner while other students talk with professors or play games. Students sit in a circle while sharing dinner. After dinner, the student union arranges a group-game to increase the students' congeniality. Some common games include quiz games, cross-dressing games, and couple games. Occasionally, student-leaders invite professional singers to perform.[2] Leaders may then prepare an activity called "Moonlight Dating", in which students randomly choose a boy or girl counterpart and fulfill random missions outside of the resort under the moonlight.

Early the next day, the student union prepares light meals. After students complete packing their bags, they gather to take a group photo before boarding the bus and returning to school. This marks the end of the official MT; however, some students continue to meet.[3]

Locations of membership training

While locations vary, below are a number of well-known Membership Training locales:

Near the Seoul West - Incheon: Yeongjongdo / Eurwangni / Ganghwado

East - Gapyeong / Nearby Gangchon Station / Pocheon / Near Daeseong-ri Station(One of the Most Famous MT locales)

South - Gwacheon Chung-gye mountain


East of Gyeonggi-do - Chung-cheong do Ahn myeoun do / Dae chun / Dae bu island, Je bu island / Yong-in Gogiri vally / Everland (amusement park & Resort)

Gang-won do - Gang-reung si, Sok cho si (vallies located at Yang-gu goon, In je goon, Hong cheun goon )

Jeolla-do (including Gwang ju) - Jang-su goon, Nam won si / Gu rae goon / Dam yang goon / South coast

Jeju island - Internal of Jeju island

Gyung sang do - Daegu, North of Gyung sang do - Po hang si / Yung duk goon / Wool jin goon - Busan, South of Gyung sang do - Song jung beach / Yang san si / Geoje island

Membership training issues

During Membership Training, upperclassmen students may mistreat or haze underclassmen students by pressuring them to drink alcoholic beverages, such as soju or makgeolli, or by forcing them to behave in an embarrassing manner.

There have also been a few reported cases of sexual assault.[4] The Ministry of Education has made efforts to impose restraints on these sessions, and students found committing human rights abuses can be held legally responsible, and could face severe punishments.[5]

See also

References
  1. Yu-jin, Kim. "Membership training helps breaks-the-ice for campus life". Koreaherald. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  2. sinsup, kim. "MT문화는 어디로 가야하는가?". daily unn. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  3. Chang-Soon, Rha. "Orientation (OT) and Membership Training (MT)". kookmin university. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  4. Kim, Jihun. "대학가 '군대 문화' 대학생은 어떻게 생각할까?". 민중의 소리. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
  5. "대학 MT때 가혹행위·성희롱하면 행사 주관한 학생·교수도 처벌 [출처] 본 기사는 조선닷컴에서 작성된 기사 입니다". chosunilbo. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
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