Jung Da-hyun is a reporter at The Korea Times, covering social issues in Korea, including foreign residents, education, environment and politics. Driven by a deep interest in people’s stories, she focuses on investigative and feature reporting through direct interviews and field coverage. She received the Amnesty International Korea Media Award for her “Deepfake Crisis at Schools” series. Reach her at dahyun08@koreatimes.co.kr. Always open to hearing your stories.
First local government-run language institute opens in North Gyeongsang Province
Participants pose after the opening ceremony of a language institute established by North Gyeongsang Province at Gyeongbuk Provincial College, Feb. 14. Courtesy of North Gyeongsang Provincial Office
By Jung Da-hyun
Local government aims to facilitate foreign nationals' integration through education program
North Gyeongsang Province has founded a language institute to help international students and foreign workers integrate with the region through Korean language education. This marks the first instance of a local government independently establishing a language institute.
The newly established institute, named Gyeongbuk Global Institute, seeks to facilitate the settlement of foreign students and workers in North Gyeongsang Province by not only providing essential information on laws and teaching practical Korean language skills for daily life but also imparting knowledge about the local culture and industries.
It is the first foreign language school in the country operated by a local government. The only language school operated by a public institution so far is the King Sejong Institute, launched in 2012 under the auspices of the Sejong Institute Foundation affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The institute conducted its opening ceremony on Feb. 14 at Gyeongbuk Provincial College, where the program is being hosted. Hosting the program at the university aims to minimize trial and error in the education process by utilizing education skills and the preexisting system of the university. Additionally, students enrolled in the program can reside in the college's dormitory.
Commencing this month, the institute has enrolled a total of 100 international students. The education program for international students will run in two sessions, each lasting two weeks.
Korean language courses, policy guidance for foreign nationals, insights into the culture of North Gyeongsang Province, as well as information on visa types and residence status in Korea are included in the two-week curriculum.
Furthermore, the program also offers experiential activities such as corporate tours, Gyeongju cultural tours and a session about K-beauty.
The opening ceremony for a language institute founded by North Gyeongsang Province is held at Gyeongbuk Provincial College, Feb. 14. Courtesy of North Gyeongsang Provincial Office
According to the North Gyeongsang Provincial Office, the establishment of the Gyeonbuk Global Institute aligns with an active immigration policy. The institute aims to proactively address potential challenges in the adaptation and social integration of foreign nationals by emphasizing the importance of Korean language proficiency.
The recognition underlying this initiative is that systematic language education plays a vital role in facilitating the settlement of foreigners and mitigating any adverse effects on their adaptation and integration into the local community.
A survey conducted by the Migration Research and Training Centre supports this perspective, showing that language difficulties are the foremost challenge faced by foreign residents in the early stages of immigration.
With the goal of conducting a total of six classes this year, North Gyeongsang Province plans to extend the education program to 680 individuals, encompassing international students and skilled professionals with specialized local visas.
Foreign workers with regional specialized visas are those who have a university degree or higher and meet specific regional specialization criteria set by the Ministry of Justice, including an annual income of 29.5 million won or more and achieve level 3 on the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK).
The province plans to expand and diversify the curriculum of Gyeongbuk Global Institute while implementing policies such as offering incentives for visa issuance to graduates, job matching and support for individual social adaptation.
This strategic approach aims to establish the institute as a model for excellence in supporting foreign settlement, according to the provincial office.
To facilitate the successful launch of the institute, North Gyeongsang Province has allocated a new budget of 500 million won for this year and to operate it with Gyeongbuk Provincial University, recognizing the university's substantial educational expertise as integral to laying a strong foundation for the institute's success.
North Gyeongsang Province Governor Lee Cheol-woo expressed the commitment to helping international students and foreign workers learn Korean and understand the region's culture.
"We are committed to implementing a more robust and welcoming win-win and inclusion policy, ensuring that foreigners experience seamless living, from their initial entry to settlement," Lee said.