The Seoul Metropolitan Government and King Sejong Institute Foundation from July 1 will jointly offer free online courses for those worldwide who wish to learn Korean. Shown is the homepage of the Seoul Online King Sejong Institute.

By Park Hye Ri and Lee Jihae
Photos = Seoul Metropolitan Government

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on June 28 announced the launch from July 1 of a pilot six-month run of a platform for Korean-language education geared toward foreign students dubbed the Seoul Online King Sejong Institute jointly with the King Sejong Institute Foundation (KSIF).

For the benefit of foreign residents in Seoul, the city had supported in-person classes in Korean at support facilities like the Southwest Seoul Global Center, seven Global Village Centers, six foreign migrant centers and 25 family centers in local autonomous regions.

The municipal government, however, said it decided to run the Online Sejong Institute (https://www.iksi.or.kr/lms/main/studyGuide.do) because expats struggled to access the aforementioned facilities due to difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and job conditions.

Users of the online service can learn Korean free on their smartphones or PCs regardless of time or place.

The educational content comprises three programs: "Cyber Korean Language Curriculum," which allows intermediate-level students to study Korean on their own; "Korean Language for Foreign Workers," based on textbooks developed by the Human Resources Development Service of Korea; and "K-Wave Korean," which teaches the language using K-pop or K-dramas. Anyone with an account on the site can take all of the programs free. 

The city and KSIF will also expand their field of cooperation by expanding "online correction guidance" during the trial period.

The city will also run in-person classes at support facilities for expatriates. Those interested can apply after checking the schedules on the Seoul Foreigner Portal (global.seoul.go.kr).

Kim Seon-soon, head of the city's Women and Family Policy Affairs Office, said, "Foreign residents account for 4.6% of Seoul's population, thus the city is in the stage approaching a multiracial and multicultural society, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). So support for Korean-language education to help them settle here stably is essential."

"Through cooperation with the KSIF, we will strive to create an environment in which foreign nationals can conveniently learn Korean."

This is the screen for the section "Korean Language for Foreign Workers."