Participants and staff posing at the 16th Joined MUN conference at NLCS Jeju
[ Participants, delegates, and press staff gathered at NLCS Jeju for the 16th JOINED MUN ]

From September 5 to 6, 2026, I attended the 16th Joined MUN held at NLCS Jeju as a student reporter for the press team. While the student delegates arrived wearing crisp white delegate shirts, I wore a navy blue press shirt. It was super comfortable, and to be honest, I still wear it today!

I was assigned to cover the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization) committee, which conducted its discussions in Korean. My main responsibility as a press member was to observe the entire debate, take detailed notes, and record speeches throughout the day.

Thankfully, I met another press team member who was the exact same age as me. It turned out we had many mutual friends, so we hit it off and became good friends right away. We ate lunch together and supported each other with taking notes. Speaking of lunch, since the event was held at an international school, I secretly expected fancy meals like steak or lobster! Instead, we were served Jeyuk bokkeum (spicy stir-fried pork). Although it wasn't what I originally imagined, it was absolutely delicious. On the first day, our press team stayed busy writing articles until 8:30 p.m. before heading home.

On the second day, we were welcomed with free chocolate chip cookies at 9:00 a.m. While the delegates worked tirelessly drafting official UN resolutions, our press team spent the entire day crafting and polishing news articles. It was physically tiring, but the closing session brought so much fun. We held a "Gossip Box" event where anonymous messages were displayed on the big screen. To my surprise, someone left a comment saying I looked like actor Shin Seung-ho! I wasn't entirely sure whether I should be flattered or amused, but it made everyone laugh.

Seowoo Kang FAO Press nameplate signed with memories and signatures from friends
[ My official FAO Press nameplate filled with messages and signatures from fellow participants at the end of the conference ]

After the closing ceremony ended around 4:30 p.m., we gathered around to sign each other's official nameplates and exchanged warm goodbyes. It was a challenging and intense two days, but I walked away with wonderful new friendships and unforgettable memories!