| Global

Number of Schools Offering Korean Language Education Abroad Surges 54% in Four Years
According to a report by The Korea Times* on May 10, the number of primary and secondary schools worldwide offering Korean language classes as part of the regular curriculum or through after-school programs had reached 2,777 as of the end of last year, representing a 54% increase over the past four years. This upward trend is not isolated to a specific region, but can be seen across Asia, Europe, the Americas, and beyond. The number of Korean language learners has also climbed by 38% since 2021, reaching around 230,000. These figures demonstrate that Korean is increasingly becoming one of the major foreign languages taught in schools around the world. Key drivers behind this growth include financial support for overseas Korean language programs, the distribution of Korean language teaching materials, teacher training programs, and outreach conducted via Korean education centers.
*The Korea Times: Korea’s longest-running English language daily newspaper, covering major issues in Korean society since its founding in 1950.

| Americas

• UC Berkeley Produces First Korean Studies Graduates in 83 Years
On May 19, the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), graduated its first Korean Studies majors, 83 years after becoming the first university in the United States to offer Korean language instruction in 1943. Three students who double-majored in Korean Studies, which was introduced in the fall semester of last year, became the first graduates to earn bachelor’s degrees in the field. This milestone is widely regarded as a significant achievement amid the broader expansion of Korean studies education in the United States.
One of the inaugural graduates, Kim So-young (Elise Kim), stated, “I take great pride in UC Berkeley’s Korean Studies curriculum. It allows students to explore Korean history and culture in depth through the study of primary sources, classical literature, and ancient writing systems such as hyangchal, in addition to modern and contemporary history.” Although UC Berkeley does not currently offer a graduate program in Korean Studies, efforts are underway to establish one under the leadership of Professor Ahn Jin-soo in the Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures.

• Thomas Jefferson Elementary School Launches Orange County’s First Korean Dual-Language Immersion Program
According to an NBC4* report on May 8, Korean dual-language immersion programs in U.S. public schools are continuing to expand alongside the booming global demand for Korean language education.
One prominent example is the Korean dual-language immersion program at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School in California, the first program of its kind in Orange County. Going beyond traditional language instruction, the program adopts an immersive educational model in which Korean is integrated into both classroom learning and everyday interactions through songs, games, project-based activities, and daily conversations. This allows students acquire Korean naturally and provides non-native learners with extensive exposure to Korean.
*NBC4: An NBC-affiliated television station serving Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with news and weather coverage.

| Asia

HCMUT Opens Korean Interpretation and Translation Lab K-VOICE
On May 7, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT) officially opened K-VOICE, a Korean interpretation and translation laboratory established with support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). Built with an investment of VND 450 million, the facility is equipped with advanced systems for practicing listening and speaking skills as well as interpretation and translation training. Designed to replicate real-world academic and professional environments, K-VOICE features high-quality audio broadcasting and two-way communication capabilities that help students strengthen their communication competency and improve their pronunciation accuracy. KOICA expects the lab to contribute not only to improving Korean language education in Vietnam but also to expanding educational and cultural exchanges between Korea and Vietnam.

| Europe

Korea and France Sign Letter of Intent for Youth Language Teaching Assistant Exchange Program
On April 2, Korea and France signed a letter of intent for a youth language teaching assistant exchange program at the Government Complex Seoul, coinciding with French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Korea to celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The signing ceremony was attended by Han Sang-shin, president of the National Institute for International Education, and Henri de Rohan-Csermak, director-general of France Éducation international. Under the agreement, Korea and France will dispatch young Korean and French language teaching assistants to support regular teachers in foreign language classrooms at local schools. The program will launch with a pilot phase involving one participant from each country in its first year, with plans to gradually expand the number of exchanges in the years ahead.

| Source

(Global) https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/
(USA) Hankyoreh
(USA) https://www.nbclosangeles.com/
(Vietnam) https://www.hutech.edu.vn/
(France) https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/