When heritage language schools gather to refine their teaching strategies, the focus traditionally rests on textbooks, grammar drills and classroom educators. But at a recent weekend summit in Japan, a fresh voice took center stage in the effort to preserve Korean culture among the next generation: the parents. Responding to direct feedback from the local Korean diaspora, the Overseas Koreans Agency joined hands with the Kansai Association of Korean Language Schools to host an innovative three-day training workshop in Osaka on Friday and Saturday. For decades, weekend Korean schools across Japan have served as cultural anchors for "Zainichi" — ethnic Koreans who settled in Japan primarily during the colonial era, along with their descendants. Today, Japan's Ministry of Justice registers more than 400,000 ethnic Korean residents, with the total Zainichi community estimated at around 1 million when including naturalized citizens and those with Japanese nationality. As generations shift and multiethnic households grow, maintaining linguistic ties to their ancestral homeland presents new c