South Korean interns lend a hand in federal agencies

The National Park Service is getting some help from an unusual source: South Korean interns.

This year, NPS accepted almost 20 unpaid South Korean citizens to work in three-month stints throughout the agency in areas from public affairs to information technology.

The program, which is funded by the South Korean government and run through the Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars, appealed to NPS Chief Information Officer Dom Nessi, who wanted to create a Korean language version of the NPS Web site.

"The national park system is known throughout the world and so we always felt [creating foreign language Web sites] was something that we really needed to do," Nessi said. "It was an opportunity to have some young people that are very technologically advanced come work for us."

The success of the Web site-which Nessi's interns began in June and plan to launch before the end of the year-prompted other areas of NPS to hire South Korean interns. The trainees work on network management, IT security, education, public affairs and international affairs.

"I would definitely suggest that other agencies get involved in the international internship program," said Reginald Vance, chief of business administration and finance in the Park Service's CIO office. "In government we have a rigid way of doing things, but just to have fresh insight . . . contributes to what your organization is trying to offer the public."

Twenty-eight year-old Sejoo Nah, one of the NPS interns, said he already passed the civil service exam for South Korea and plans to return to his country to work in the Foreign Service. Nah interned in the NPS interpretation and education office.

"Before I got here I thought Americans were lazy," Nah said. "Here in my office they are all hard-working people and professionals, so I think I have to work really hard when I get back."

Nah said much of his experience with the American government transfers to South Korea's system.

"I think it's pretty much similar to the Korean government," Nah said "Every time I go to a meeting or conference, they make decisions in a similar process."

"We certainly have two different government structures, but they understand bureaucracy," Vance said.

The Washington Center started its South Korean program last year, and has placed another 20 trainees among the Environmental Protection Agency, the Housing and Urban Development Department, the Veterans Affairs Department and other agencies.

The center, a nonprofit that situates about 1,500 students in private and nonprofit organizations in the Washington area every year, also placed 15 Mexican and five Canadian trainees in federal agencies in 2005, but the Korean government program is the largest.

Peter Stephens, managing director of the Washington Center, said that's because of the South Korean government's support.

"They want to increase the efficiency of their governmental services," Stephens said. "The U.S. government has a very, very strong and high reputation outside the United States . . . many of our international partners want their trainees to observe and experience [the American government]."

Washington Center Korean Initiative Coordinator Jung Lim said there are some difficulties in placing international students in federal agencies. Students can't work in agencies that require security clearances. Students also enter the country under a J-1 visa, meaning they are referred to as "academic trainees" rather than interns.

The trainee status gets the foreign students around the government's numerous limitations on noncitizen employment.