The growth of demand for learning Korean as a second language
The Korean language has seen an increase in interest in learning the language worldwide. Duolingo, the language-learning website and mobile app, reported that
Korean was the second fastest growing language in the world in 2020 amongst the learners using Duolingo. The popularity has risen in Brunei, Bhutan, Malaysia and the Philippines and the largest numbers of Korean learners are in the USA, China, India and Indonesia.
The growth of demand for learning Korean as a second language can be attributed to growth in worldwide interest in Korean culture and media, including K-pop, drama series, and movies.
In 2020 there were globally 152,000 students in 1,669 schools across 39 countries learning Korean according to the publication Education in Korea (2020) by the Ministry of Education.
The education ministry has responded to the demand with an announcement of an increased budget for Korean language education overseas this year.
The education ministry’s 2021 plan will provide 23.6 billion won (US$20.8 million) this year to help expand the opening of Korean language classes overseas that is almost double compared to the amount last year.
The aim is to open Korean language classes at 1,800 schools in 43 countries with funds mainly allocated for countries with strong demand for the Korean language such as Jordan, Belgium, Ecuador, Laos and Cambodia.
Additionally, the country also plans to open training courses for new Korean language teachers in 14 countries in Southeast and Central Asian regions, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Russia and Kyrgyzstan. More Korean teachers will be sent abroad to the areas where required.
The funds will be provided to cover the development of the language curriculum in elementary and high schools overseas and to market the schools interested in opening Korean language courses.
The ministry of education sees the importance of Korean language education as a foundation for building friendship between Korea and other countries that will be beneficial not just for making the language more popular but also to promote the understanding of Korean culture.
