First lady Kim Yoon-ok praised Korean-language teachers gathered in Seoul from around the world Wednesday, saying they are helping more countries become friends of Korea amid the booming "Korean wave."
Kim made the remark at the opening ceremony of a conference of instructors at 129 "Sejong" Korean-language centers in 33 countries.
About 290 people from home and abroad will attend the three-day meeting aimed at improving expertise of instructors, sharing their experiences and boosting their networking.
"I think language is a big receptacle containing thoughts, life and culture," Kim said during the ceremony at Seoul's National Museum of Korea. "There is a craze to learn Korean language as the Korean wave, such as K-pop, is spreading. This Sejong project is something that makes friends of South Korea around the globe that understand our language and culture."
The Sejong language centers, which are usually located at the state-run Korean cultural centers, are named after King Sejong of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) who invented the Korean writing system, Hangeul.(Yonhap)