The number of KSI graduates who are going on to pursue a career based on their Korean skills continues to grow. Altangtupchi, who we interviewed this month, currently works as the Secretary General at the Mongolian University Association. We asked him about his work, and whether the Association has any plans for future collaboration with Korea.

Hello. Please briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hello. My name is Altangtupchi. I studied Korean at KSI 1 in Ulaanbaatar in 2019, and now I am working as the secretary general at the Mongolian University Association. I’m grateful that I can use Korean, a language I love, in my work.

Please tell us more about the Mongolian University Association. What does the Association do? And what is your role at the Association?

The Mongolian University Association is an association of 50 universities in Mongolia. It is operated in cooperation with the Mongolian Ministry of Education and Science, and it represents universities in Mongolia. I am responsible for carrying out multiple projects with the universities affiliated with the association.

Does having Korean skills help in terms of your career? Please tell us if learning Korean has helped you in terms of your career.

Mongolia exchanges educational know-how with many overseas universities to further advance our level of education. In December 2019, 12 presidents of Mongolian universities visited Korea to discuss potential opportunities for collaboration. They visited 15 institutions in 5 cities and entered into a partnership with some of these institutions. And the Korean skills I had acquired from KSI helped me greatly then.

What initially made you decide you wanted to study Korean? And what do you believe are some things that you have gained from studying at KSI?

Many Korean movies and dramas get aired on Mongolian public broadcasting and cable channels. If you want, you can watch only Korean shows and dramas throughout the evening. The broadcasts are dubbed in Mongolian, but you can still hear the actors speaking in Korean in the background. That motivated me to learn Korean, and while studying at KSI, I learned Korean and also made many friends. Not only did my Korean skills improve, but there was so much I could learn from the teachers who were always considerate and caring.

Please tell us what makes KSI Ulaanbaatar 1 special. Do you have any special personal memories or takeaways from KSI Ulaanbaatar 1?

Everyone at KSI Ulaanbaatar 1 is very considerate. The staff members make studying Korean easy and fun. There are many cultural classes and events where students can learn about and explore Korean culture. Finally, you get endless opportunities. For example, students do a presentation at the end of each semester. I chose to sing. I was very nervous, but I was able to pull it through thanks to my friends who cheered for me. I also won first place at a speaking contest. I couldn’t go to Korea due to the pandemic, but I was still very proud of myself for having learned Korean.

Are there any future collaborations being planned between the Mongolian University Association and Korea? How do you plan to use your Korean skills going forward?

The Mongolian University Association will continue to maintain a partnership with the Ministry of Education in Korea, and we will be meeting with Koreans residing in Mongolia as part of the ‘The Mongolian Dream’. Personally, I would love to participate in volunteer activities jointly with schools in Korea. If I get a chance, I would like to visit Korea and KSIF, as well as some places I saw in Korean dramas or movies.