Sboard, K-Edu, Enters Uzbekistan's Ministry of Pre-School Education

The Republic of Uzbekistan became independent of the former Soviet Union in 1991. This year marks the 30th anniversary of independence and the 29th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the Republic of Korea. The Republic of Korea is one of the top five trading targets in Uzbekistan and the bilateral relations are further advancing their friendly and cooperative relations as special partners. In particular, about 200,000 ethnic Koreans live in Uzbekistan, and starting with "Dae Jang Geum," the Korean wave has spread widely. Such a phenomenon has built a sense of affinity between the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea. In 2019, the Korea-Uzbekistan Business Association (KUBA), the only government-licensed economic organization in the two countries, was established. This organization has been developing as a pivotal bridge to the economic development of the two countries along with active business activities.

Through Kim Chang Keon, Vice President of the Korea-Uzbekistan Business Association (KUBA), Korea's EduLink Global Inc. and Uzbekistan's Ministry of Pre-School Education signed MOU and the contract in April and June 2021. Both sides agreed to develop and provide a notification app, Sboard, to all kindergartens under the Ministry of Pre-School Education. Created through the rapid integration of education and IT in the Republic of Korea, Sboard is Uzbekistan's first mobile educational application that focuses on localization after long discussions and consultations with Uzbekistan's Ministry of Pre-School Education. This app is officially available to all kindergarten teachers, parents, and students in Uzbekistan from September 1, 2021- the 30th anniversary of Uzbekistan's independence.

EduLink Global Co., Ltd. (EduLink) is a new company established by CEO Han Jung-rim, who has been running an English education company for more than 20 years, to make inroads into the global market of K-education. He expressed his honor to be an exporter of the Sboard to Uzbekistan and explained that Sboard includes the meaning of School, Smart, and Super and has been combined with the word "board." He also expressed the ambition to expand the app's function beyond notification cards to Uzbekistan's representative education platform where various educational contents of Korea can be exported.

Agrippina Shin, Uzbekistan's Minister of Pre-School Education, delivered a personal letter through Kim Chang Keon, Senior Vice Chairman of KUBA. She expressed her confidence that the Sboard project will be a great opportunity for the development of Uzbekistan's education. Minister Shin thanked EduLink Global officials for their generous efforts and support in successfully promoting this project.

Meanwhile, Sboard will be distributed by the government and used by all kindergartens under Uzbekistan's Ministry of Pre-School Education. There are about 200,000 kindergartens nationwide and approximately a million newborns born each year. Thus, it is highly anticipated that Sboard will develop in the future and expand into various business models. 

※ Source: Secretariat of the Korea Uzbekistan Business Association

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