RICHARDSON, Texas–International Leadership of Texas Global (ILTexas Global) hosted a press conference on Monday, April 10, to announce its partnership with Saemangeum Development Corporation, a South Korean development group, to further its educational exchange programs in Asia. The group signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ILTexas Global to solidify its plans to build an ILTexas school in Korea. 

The press conference comes just weeks before President Biden is scheduled to host South Korea’s President at the White House for an official state visit on April 26. Representatives of the Saemangeum Development Corporation toured ILTexas Garland High School and Garland K-8 campuses during their April 10-11 visit. The forward-thinking development group has a vision of becoming a new global industrial hub for green growth in South Korea. 

A Global Education Zone is to be developed on site, where ILTexas would have a footprint in South Korea for a new student exchange program. The ILTexas Global-Saemangeum partnership would serve as another example of South Korea building relationships in Texas. Samsung, based in South Korea, has announced plans to build a now $25 billion chipmaking plant near Austin, further investing in the state and the Texas job market.

“South Korea has made itself [and] its history, known of how important, how powerful, [and how] economically viable [it] is in support of [its] interests, but also in support of the United States and specifically here in Texas,” said ILTexas Founder and CEO Eddie Conger. “The investment has been truly phenomenal.” 

Ok Chul Kim, who serves as the  Head of Development in the Business Division of Saemangeum Development Corporation, was optimistic about the company’s partnership with ILTexas Global. 

“With the MOU, we will continue to focus on our education system in Saemangeum,” he said, via a translator. “I’m sure this ambitious agreement will strengthen mature cooperation between the two institutions.” 

About International Leadership of Texas 

ILTexas is a free public charter school serving more than 22,000 K-12 students at 21 campuses in the DallasFort Worth, Houston, Cleveland and College Station areas. 

ILTexas Global operates the ILTexas Private High School, through which our student exchange programs operate. ILTexas Global is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, in partnership with the ILTexas charter school district to support and facilitate cross-cultural educational models and methods. 

Our mission is to prepare students for exceptional leadership roles in the international community by emphasizing servant leadership, mastering the English, Spanish, and Chinese languages, and strengthening the mind, body, and character. At ILTexas, education is taught from a global perspective, where all students are given the opportunity to learn the English, Spanish, and Chinese languages, and graduate with the necessary tools for future leadership and success in Texas, the U.S., and internationally.