Kim Jeong-ho, principal of Suzhou Korean School, talks with students under a loquat tree. [Photo/Foreign Affairs Office of Wujiang District]

On a late May afternoon, students at Suzhou Korean School gathered around as principal Kim Jeong-ho handed out freshly picked loquats from trees growing on the campus. For many, it was a simple seasonal treat. For Kim, it was another opportunity to help students connect with the city that has become his second home.

Kim's special bond with China began more than two decades ago. Fascinated by Chinese characters and traditional Chinese culture from an early age, he left a stable job in South Korea in 2002 to pursue further studies in China. He spent three years at Minzu University of China, immersing himself in Chinese culture and earning a doctoral degree.

Although he returned to South Korea after graduation, his interest in China never faded. In March 2025, he returned, this time to Wujiang district in Suzhou, where he took up the role of principal at Suzhou Korean School.

Since arriving, Kim has focused on helping South Korean students gain a deeper understanding of China. Recognizing that students at an international school often have limited opportunities to engage with local communities, he has promoted exchanges with other schools across Wujiang. Choir festivals, English debate competitions and joint cultural performances have become regular activities, allowing students from different backgrounds to learn from one another and build friendships beyond language and cultural barriers.

Outside the classroom, Kim continues to explore the region's rich heritage. From classical Suzhou gardens to centuries-old water towns, he has spent much of his free time discovering the traditions and aesthetics of the Jiangnan region. His appreciation for Chinese culture has also influenced his family. He encouraged his daughter to study in China and learn Chinese at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University.

The same passion can be found in another educator at the school, Chinese-language teacher Kim Seong-eun.

Kim Seong-eun, a Chinese language teacher at Suzhou Korean School, and her daughter. [Photo/Foreign Affairs Office of Wujiang District]

This year marks her third year teaching in Wujiang. Recently, she applied to extend her stay in China to the maximum five-year term allowed by the school.

Her interest in China dates back to her university years, when she participated in exchange programs in Beijing and Harbin. In 2024, while working as a Chinese-language teacher in South Korea, she learned that Suzhou Korean School was recruiting teachers. She decided to leave her job and moved to Suzhou with her family of four.

For both educators, Suzhou is more than a workplace. It is a place where their long-standing interest in Chinese language and culture has found new meaning, and where they are helping a new generation of young people build bridges between China and South Korea.