US Military Virtual Welcome Packet

Are you moving to South Korea with the US Military and want to know more before you arrive? You have come to the right place.

How To Use the Virtual Welcome Packet

First, read the Intro to the US Military Virtual Welcome Packet in order to understand how volunteers compile the information. This somewhat dry and boring introduction actually contains very useful information for getting the most out of the South of Seoul Blogs.

Second, move to the header which interests you. Below each header exists boxes of content organized by tabs. Click on each tab to discover articles for that sub-topic.

Defining the US Military Lens

The following blog post offers insight into the ‘US Military’ experience and how South of Seoul volunteers define the ‘US Military Lens’ in South Korea. Different bloggers, influencers, and community organizations may define the ‘US Military Lens’ in different ways depending on their experiences in South Korea. Such content creators may refer only to soldiers or they may refer to soldiers and dependents. South of Seoul volunteers consider the ‘US Military Lens’ as a person living in South Korea on a SOFA visa.

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Navigating Tabbed Content Boxes

The ‘US Military Virtual Welcome Packet’ organizes information into tabbed content. Here is important information about how to use the tabbed content boxes:

  • Tabbed content boxes flow from left to right.
  • When viewing the tabbed content on a phone or mobile device you may not be able to see all tabbed content on the screen at one time.
  • To view the tabbed content tap on the tabs to move through them. The tab currently showing will be highlighted in orange.
  • Tabbed content boxes may contain links to blogs, videos, or pdf items depending on the topic being addressed.

Integrating into Korean Life

The US military and personnel live in South Korea on a SOFA visa which does not offer the same support as a Korean residency visa. South of Seoul volunteer articles talks about how the difference between SOFA status and residence status may impact life in Korea. Additionally, articles cover how some people associated with the US military may achieve residency status.

The blogs in this section include some of the most important information for establishing and living life in Korea. They might not be exciting topics but those living in Korea for an extended time will find the info critical.

SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey Descriptive Analysis: Pregnancy and Childbirth in South Korea

Would you like to know more about pregnancy and childbirth in South Korea? The following blog post provides a descriptive analysis of the data gathered in the SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey (2022 SOS PHMHS) The following data may so such things as 1) provide support and information for people considering childbirth in South Korea, 2) support additional research into the lived pregnancy and childbirth experiences of international residents living in South Korea, and 3) contribute to a better understanding of how international residents experience pregnancy and childbirth in South Korea.

Continue Reading SOS Public Health Maternal Health Survey Descriptive Analysis: Pregnancy and Childbirth in South Korea

2022 SOS Public Health Needs Assessment of International Residents in Korea

This Needs Assessment was conducted by graduate student Olivia Bowman as part of her practicum with SOS Public Health (SOSPH) in the Fall of 2022.  This needs assessment examines healthcare information access among the multinational English-speaking community living in South Korea, with a focus on the role that cultural dissonance may play in such access.

Continue Reading 2022 SOS Public Health Needs Assessment of International Residents in Korea

Pyeongtaek Life

Many US military and associated personnel live in Pyeongtaek-si at either Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Force Base. The following SOS Volunteer blog articles take new arrivals inside over a decade worth of research and documentation of life in Pyeongtaek-si, South Korea.

Eating at Home

Moving to a new country means learning how to grocery shop all over again. SOS Volunteers have created a detailed guide to shopping in Pyeongtaek-si, South Korea. Additionally, not everyone wants to cook so we also break down how to order food or prepped meals to make life a little easier.

Learn more about grocery shopping in South Korea.

Embrace moving to another country and learning to cook new foods with new ingredients.

Learn where to shop for foreign ingredients and cook those comfort foods from home.

Sometimes you will not want to cook. Get ready to order pre-made meals or food delivery to your house.

Seasonal Guides for Korea