King Sejong Institute launches new app for seasonal foreign workers
KSI Korean: Agri & Fisheries mobile application offers practical Korean learning materials for foreign workers in the agriculture and fisheries industries. Courtesy of King Sejong Institute Foundation
The King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) released a new Korean language learning application designed specifically for foreign workers in the agriculture and fisheries industries. Timed to coincide with Korea’s Fishermen’s Day on Wednesday, the app, KSI Korean: Agri & Fisheries, aims to offer practical language support to seasonal laborers.
Developed based on the foundation’s 2024 Korean textbooks for agricultural and fisheries workers, the app offers short, 15-minute daily lessons focused on essential vocabulary and expressions commonly used in the workplace. It also features enhanced audio functions to support repetitive listening practice, helping users apply what they learn to real-life situations.
The need for accessible Korean language learning tools is growing with the increasing number of seasonal migrant workers in Korea. According to the Ministry of Justice, the number of foreign seasonal laborers in Korea jumped from 30,401 in 2023 to 56,895 in 2024. However, learning Korean has long been a challenge for foreign workers and their employers due to the demanding nature of seasonal labor.
The app aims to provide a practical Korean learning program by allowing workers to learn anytime and anywhere, even in short sessions. It is available for free on Google Play and the Apple App Store and includes example sentences translated into six languages — English, Vietnamese, Mongolian, Russian, Uzbek and Kyrgyz — to make the content more accessible and inclusive for a broader range of learners.
“We hope this app becomes a practical resource for migrant workers in the agriculture and fisheries sectors,” KSIF acting president Bae Jong-min said. “The foundation will continue to develop customized educational content to meet the needs of Korean language learners in diverse environments.”
The KSIF, a public organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, oversees the global promotion of the Korean language through the King Sejong Institute, which operates in 256 locations across 88 countries as of June 2024.