A Sidmouth woman is saying ‘goodbye Britain’ and ‘annyong South Korea’ as she leads a month-long study exchange - despite rising tensions with the north.

Sally Wilcox will lead a team of young professionals as they trade places with a similar group from the Far East in a Rotary International scheme.

She and police officer Ed Vallins, lawyer Lucy Seymour and East Devon District Council officer Sulina Tallack, will be discussing peace and conflict resolution with their hosts.

Sally, a former regional director at BT, said: “I’m not concerned at all, but we’re keeping an eye on what’s happening.”

She added that being intimidated by the situation with North Korea would do the exchange programme a disservice, but they are fully aware of the risks.

“It’s such a privilege to lead the group – they are so passionate about learning and their development,” said the 53-year-old.

“We’re going to look at the culture of South Korea and what’s made it so successful.”

Sally was chosen from her career in people management and her new focus as a governor at Exeter University.

She moved to Sidmouth when she took early retirement ‘to give something back’ and applied for the Rotary International exchange.

The group will travel throughout the Jeollanam-Do province, just as the South Korean guests will explore different areas of Devon.

Ed said: “This will be a once in a lifetime opportunity and I am really looking forward to learning about South Korea and its people, first hand.”

Previous trips have seen Devon people sent to learn about cultures in Japan, Colombia, Australia and Brazil. The latest group will leave on April 28, and the South Korean group will arrive on the same day.