Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy and Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute seek participants for the 2026 Soil and Groundwater Children's Summer Camp; applications open today through July 10 for fourth- through sixth-graders — 600 spots online, 120 in person
The Ministry of Climate, Environment and Energy and the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute announced Monday that applications for the 2026 Soil and Groundwater Children's Summer Camp are open through July 10.
Now in its 12th year, the camp is an educational experience designed to introduce children to the world of soil and groundwater — topics they rarely encounter in depth — through hands-on experiments and activities.
The program is structured to help participants explore how soil and groundwater form beneath their feet, how they relate to everyday life, and what it takes to protect them.
In-person camps will be held at Chonnam National University, Chungnam National University and Pusan National University, where university professors and student mentors will guide children through experiments and research activities.
Participants will tour university facilities not normally open to the public, take part in a range of experiments firsthand, and get an early look at what environmental research looks like in practice.
An online camp running for two days from July 29 will be held via live video and is open to participants from anywhere in the country.
Textbooks and experiment kits will be sent to participants in advance so they can explore soil and groundwater topics from home. Group enrollment is also available for schools in rural, fishing and remote mountain communities to allow more children to take part.
After the camp concludes, participants will be invited to submit an "Underground Environment Detective Investigation Report" — a record of their own observations of the surrounding environment — along with a camp review. Outstanding participants will receive awards from the minister of climate, environment and energy and the head of the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute.
Prospective participants can apply through the camp's official website. A total of 720 spots will be filled by lottery — 600 for the online camp and 120 for the in-person sessions — with results announced on the website on July 13.
Participation is free, and educational materials and experiment kits will be provided at no cost.
Kim Ho-eun, the ministry's director general for water use policy, said soil and groundwater are "vital environmental assets that sustain our food, water and ecosystems." He added that he hopes this year's camp will "nurture scientific curiosity and a sense of environmental responsibility in children, and serve as a meaningful experience for those who dream of becoming future environmental leaders."
thlee@heraldcorp.com
