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King Sejong Institute Foundation opens regional office in Chile

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By Jhoo Dong-chan
  • Published KST
Korea’s Ambassador to Chile, Kim Hak-jae, speaks during an opening ceremony for the King Sejong Institute Foundation's regional officie in Santiago, Chile, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of King Sejong Institute Foundation

Korea’s Ambassador to Chile, Kim Hak-jae, speaks during an opening ceremony for the King Sejong Institute Foundation's regional officie in Santiago, Chile, Thursday (local time). Courtesy of King Sejong Institute Foundation

The King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF) has opened its office in Chile.

According to the government-funded language education agency, Friday, it held an opening ceremony in Santiago, Chile, Thursday (local time). Its Chilean office will serve as a strategic hub for promoting Korean language and culture across Latin America.

“The new office will serve as a pivotal role in providing close support services to KSIF’s 17 existing institutes across 12 countries in the continent,” KSIF said in a press release.

“It will also spearhead local teacher training and continuing education, helping improve both the accessibility and quality of Korean language and cultural instruction throughout the region.”

The inauguration event included a plaque unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony, group photograph, congratulatory remarks and a presentation of the office’s mission and future road map. Among the guests were Kim Hak‑jae, Korea’s ambassador to Chile, along with leading experts in Korean language education from the region.

KSIF has been directly establishing overseas offices to respond preemptively to rapidly growing global demand for Korean language and culture. Before Chile, the foundation established regional offices in Vietnam in 2017, the United States in 2018, France in 2021 and the United Arab Emirates in 2024.

“The Chilean office marks an important milestone in expanding the foundation’s regional headquarter structure beyond Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East into Latin America,” said KSIF Acting Secretary-General Choi Hyun‑seung.

“The foundation plans to systematically expand education and cultural programs tailored to local demand, with the Chile office becoming a sustainable cultural exchange hub linking Korea and Latin America.”