POSTECH is eager for globalization and has declared itself a bilingual campus, which is now in its first year. However, to succeed in the globalization of POSTECH, it is important to attract foreign students to POSTECH but also to provide them with comfortable services during their stay in POSTECH. Yet, there have been several cries of complaint concerning the food from international students. The Postech Times had an interview with the Director of the Welfare Division and the nutritionist in charge of the student restaurant concerning food problems that foreign students have during their stay in POSTECH.

Until now, foreign students have been taking only passive measures on the matter and so has the welfare division. Currently there are over 200 foreign students currently staying in POSTECH. Chinese and Indians, who form the majority of these students, tend to make their own food instead of going to student restaurant or the cafeteria. The westerners who eat bread as their staple food were unable to obtain regular bread in the school, the Crown Bakery’s bread being only suitable as snacks since it is too sweat. Also since most of the foreign students are graduate students belonging to laboratories, some of them have to go along with what the professor and their fellow Korean students eat.

The POSTECH welfare division admits that there are some inconveniences concerning food and is open to the advice and complaints that foreign students may have. “POSTECH is currently in the steps of globalization and as time passes there will be more foreigners coming to POSTECH and it would be our duty to make sure that they can have three suitable meals every day,” explains Lee Jae Chel, the Director of the Welfare Division at POSTECH.

Mr. Lee and nutritionist Her Iel Sim proposed several solutions the problem. “The Wisdom Cafeteria which can serve a variety of dishes can be modified so that it can serve food that would meet foreigners’ tastes. It would be possible for us to develop certain menus that would fit the foreigners’ tastes.”

There were also some problems concerning convenience in using the Snack Bar. Some of the menus had unclear English names that made it hard for foreigners to understand what the food was really like, which resulted in the low rate of usage.

“We understand that it is difficult for them to order something without knowing what it is,” explains Ms. Her. “Since the menus of the Snack Bar does not change, it would be possible to add a photograph or a plastic sample of each food which would give the foreigners some idea on what the food would be like.”

Asked what foreign students should expect from their part, Mr. Lee made a request for some help. “Foreign students are also members of POSTECH and therefore have the right to make their voices be heard. We are doing what we can to take control of the situation. We are willing to make whatever changes to their menus to fit the foreign students’ taste. We hope that the foreigners would come forth actively so that it would be possible for us to make changes that would serve the foreign students’ needs instead of passively regarding the food situation and criticizing the school’s food.”