King Sejong Institute Foundation surpasses 230,000 enrollments

King Sejong Institute Foundation students pose at Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul, Oct. 9, 2025. Couertesy of King Sejong Institute Foundation

King Sejong Institute Foundation said Wednesday that a total of 239,020 people enrolled in its education centers worldwide last year. The foundation is a public agency funded and operated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The figure marks an increase of about 28,000 from a year earlier. Online enrollment exceeded 110,000, reflecting balanced growth across both online and offline programs, the foundation said.

It highlighted that demand for Korean language and culture education continues to expand globally, with the institutes strengthening their role as a platform for Korean language learning.

The foundation also released the results of its 2025 learner satisfaction survey. Overall satisfaction scored 93.1 out of 100, up 0.6 points from the previous year and the highest level ever recorded, extending a six-year streak of annual increases.

The survey was conducted over approximately four months starting in September and included 18,128 learners at King Sejong Institute centers in 83 countries. In addition to assessing Korean language learning trends, the survey examined motivations for enrollment, purchase intentions for Korean products and changes following participation in its programs.

Learners rated the institutes’ contribution to the spread of Korean language and culture at 95.2 points. Satisfaction with cultural courses and programs was 93.7, up 1.5 points from a year earlier, marking the largest increase among categories surveyed. Facilities and environment scored 91.8, while Korean language courses received 91.

Pop music, television dramas and films were cited by 53.4 percent of respondents as their initial reason for interest in Korean language and culture.

Academic or professional needs accounted for 10.9 percent, followed by language learning and self-development at 10.7 percent.

The foundation added that learners at King Sejong Institutes showed an up to 1.7 times higher intention to purchase Korean products compared with non-learners. More than 90 percent of respondents indicated willingness to visit Korea in the future, with an average maximum planned travel expenditure of 3.77 million won ($2,600).

Among respondents with experience studying Korean, 46.3 percent said it helped with their academic major in their home country. Employment at local Korean companies was cited by 22.4 percent, while 16.2 percent pointed to employment opportunities in Korea.

“The survey demonstrates the institutes are expanding enrollment while steadily improving learner satisfaction in response to growing global demand for Korean language and culture education,” said Choi Hyun-seung, acting president of King Sejong Institute Foundation.

“The foundation will continue to strengthen learner-centered educational quality and operate customized programs reflecting regional demand to enhance its global competitiveness.”