The King Sejong Institute Foundation (Acting President and Secretary General Choi Hyun-Seung, hereafter referred to as the KSIF) held the opening ceremony of the KSIF Chile Office in Santiago, Chile on November 27. This strategic hub that will lead the dissemination of Korean language and culture across Latin America.

Going forward, the Chile Office will actively identify new operating institutions for KSIs in the Latin American region and strengthen the close-support system for 17 KSIs across 12 countries. It will also carry out key functions such as training and retraining local Korean language teachers to build a foundation for the spread of Korean language and culture and expand its role as a regional headquarters to enhance access to Korean language learning and improve educational quality throughout Latin America.

The opening ceremony began with the unveiling of the office plaque and ribbon-cutting, followed by a commemorative photo session, congratulatory remarks, an introduction to the Chile Office, and a progress report. The event was attended by key figures, including Ambassador Kim Hak-jae of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Chile and Director Ahn Sung-hee of KOTRA Chile, as well as around 10 local Korean language education experts, who came together to celebrate the opening and express their commitment to future cooperation.

In response to the rapidly growing demand for Korean language learning driven by the ongoing global spread of Hallyu, and to proactively support the activation and educational expertise of KSIs worldwide, the KSIF directly establishes and operates overseas offices. The Chile Office is the fifth overseas office, following ones in Vietnam (2017), the United States (2018), France (2021), and the United Arab Emirates (2024).

Choi Hyun-Seung, secretary general of the KSIF, stated, “The opening of the Chile Office marks an important turning point as the KSI regional headquarters system expands beyond Asia, the Americas, Europe, and the Middle East to Latin America,” and added, “Going forward, the KSIF will systematically expand education and cultural programs based on regional needs and ensure that the Chile Office establishes itself as a sustainable hub for cultural exchange connecting Korea and Latin America.”