Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Yoon participates in language, cultural exchange with Vietnamese students
President Yoon Suk Yeol speaks during a meeting with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday. Yonhap
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Promoting Korea's language and culture in Vietnam, especially among the youth, was a major topic of discussion as President Yoon Suk Yeol and first lady Kim Keon Hee met with a group of Vietnamese students and instructors of the Korean language at Vietnam National University in Hanoi, Thursday.
“I heard that the Vietnamese zeal for learning Korean is strong. I see it's no exaggeration,” Yoon said during the meeting. “Earlier, I checked out the metaverse platform for Korean-language learning. Our government will do its best so you can have easy access to Korean language learning programs such as integrating digital technology into education.”
Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyoon, who also attended the meeting, vowed to strengthen policies such as fostering Korean language instructors and distributing language textbooks to promote friendly relations between Korea and Vietnam.
“There is a growing interest among Vietnamese people, especially young people, in learning Korean. We seek to strengthen connections between future generations of the two countries by dispatching Korean language teachers and expanding opportunities for Korean learners to visit our country,” Park said.
In 2021, Vietnam designated Korean as one of its first foreign languages, allowing it to be taught from the third grade of elementary school. Korean language education has been expanding, driven by the popularity of Korean pop culture and deepening economic ties between the two nations.
Vietnam currently operates 23 King Sejong Institutes, which are state-run Korean language education centers. There are 248 such institutes in 85 countries. As of this month, about 18,000 students in Vietnam are studying the Korean language.
A survey conducted by the King Sejong Institute Foundation showed that students in Vietnam mostly study Korean as a study subject or to obtain a job in Korea or at a Korean company in their home country.