KSIF Successfully Concludes the
“World Korean Educator Conference 2024”

> Over 400 participants, including Korean language instructors from 116 King Sejong Institutes across 45 countries, gathered in one place

> The 1st Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism attended the opening ceremony, encouraging participants and presenting the Minister’s Award to the top instructor of the contest

The King Sejong Institute Foundation(President Lee Hai-young, hereafter referred to as the KSIF) held the “World Korean Educator Conference 2024” from August 6 to 9 at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism(Minister Yu In-chon, hereafter referred to as the MCST). This year marks the 16th anniversary of the conference, which serves as a platform to commend the efforts of Korean language educators worldwide and to strengthen their skills in teaching Korean language and culture. Under the slogan “Teaching Korean: A Wonderful Endeavor,” the event was attended by over 400 people, including 170 instructors from 116 KSIs across 45 countries, as well as representatives from newly selected KSIs and distinguished members.

On the first day of the conference, August 6, the opening ceremony began with welcoming remarks from KSIF President Lee Hai-young, followed by congratulatory remarks from MCST’s 1st Vice Minister Yong Ho-sung. A keynote lecture by Professor Park Seok-jun from Paichai University, a KSIF board member, outlined the development direction of KSI and the role of Korean language instructors in promoting the Korean language and culture. Afterward, KSIF awarded plaques to three institutes selected as outstanding KSIs from the previous year and presented certificates to 16 newly designated KSI operating organizations.
 

In the afternoon, MCST’s 1st Vice Minister Yong Ho-sung attended to encourage Korean language educators from around the world. During his congratulatory speech, he praised the dedication of Korean language instructors in spreading the Korean language and culture globally. He then presented the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Award to the top winner of the Outstanding Instructor Contest. The recipient, Baimaganbetova Dilbar from the KSI Korean Cultural Center, Kazakhstan, was the first foreigner to win the top award and had grown from a KSI learner to an outstanding instructor, making the award particularly meaningful.
 

On the second and third days of the conference, professional training sessions were held to enhance the expertise of Korean language instructors. On August 7, the second day, a training session on the latest Korean language teaching methods took place. The day began with a lecture on “The Direction of Korean Language Education at KSIs and the Role of Teachers,” followed by a shared training session on how to utilize the Sejong Korean Language Assessment (SKA). Additional sessions covered topics such as using IT in Korean language education, practical methods for teaching Korean pronunciation, and workshops on how to use KSI’s standard textbooks (『King Sejong Institute Practical Korean』, 『King Sejong Institute Korean』, 『Sejong Korean』).
 

On August 8, the third day, there was a lecture on “Korean Language and Culture Education from an Intercultural Perspective,” followed by three thematic sessions on “The Beauty of Korea.” These sessions included a K-beauty class in collaboration with the Amorepacific Foundation, a calligraphy workshop on Hangeul, and a traditional crafts workshop. On the last day, August 9, the conference concluded with presentations of lesson plans created by the instructors during the training sessions.
 

Meanwhile, during the conference, KSIF set up an exhibition space where participants could explore various tools, including the newly launched Korean integrated learning app, ‘Mobile KSI’, the online web entertainment content ‘Short-Form Battle! Everyone’s K-Culture’, and the broadcasted Korean language education content ‘K-Chat: Conversing in Korean’. These resources were showcased to help educators integrate them smoothly into their teaching environments.
 

Asri Julianti, an instructor from KSI Surabaya, Indonesia, who participated in the conference, shared her thoughts: “Compared to last year, a wider variety of lectures were offered, and I was able to attend sessions that interested me. The pronunciation class, which I always found challenging, was particularly helpful. I hope next year’s conference will offer even more classes and activities to enhance instructors' abilities.”
 

KSIF President Lee Hai-young remarked, “As the global demand for learning Korean continues to rise and the popularity of the Korean language grows, the role of Korean educators has become more crucial than ever. KSIF will continue to offer training programs in line with the latest language education trends and work hard to boost the morale and enhance the skills of educators striving to spread Korean language and culture worldwide.”