BUSAN, South Korea – Liberia’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Atty. Cornelia Wonkerleh Kruah, has held high-level discussions with the leadership of the International Youth Fellowship (IYF) aimed at expanding opportunities for Liberian youth through investments in technical education, agriculture and youth development.
The meeting, held on the sidelines of Minister Kruah’s visit to South Korea, brought together the Minister and Rev. Dr. Ock Soo Park, Founder of the International Youth Fellowship, as both sides explored avenues for long-term collaboration.
During the discussions, Minister Kruah pledged the Ministry’s commitment to identify and secure land for the construction of an IYF youth center in Liberia, similar to facilities established by the organization in other African countries. She also invited the organization’s leadership to visit Liberia to further assess and strengthen the proposed partnership.
The talks also focused on two key areas of cooperation. Rev. Dr. Park expressed IYF’s interest in supporting Liberia’s agricultural sector by sharing South Korea’s modern farming techniques and expertise that could be adapted to local conditions.
In addition, the organization offered to assist Liberian students in accessing technical and vocational education opportunities tailored to their interests and career aspirations through the Ministry’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs.
Both parties agreed to formalize the collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Minister Kruah is expected to work closely with IYF’s West Africa Director, Jinsung Kim, and Liberia Country Director, Sungjae Kim, to advance the agreement.
“Every partnership we build abroad has to answer one question: what does it mean for a young Liberian at home?” Minister Kruah said. “This conversation gave us real answers on land, on agriculture, on technical training. Now the work is to turn that into an agreement we can execute.”
Founded in 2001, the International Youth Fellowship operates in more than 90 countries worldwide and has established youth centers across Africa, including a flagship facility in Ghana and another currently under construction in Benin. The centers focus on leadership development, vocational education and community engagement.
The Ministry of Youth and Sports says it will provide additional updates as discussions progress toward the formalization of the partnership.
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