North Korea's Average TOEFL Score is 83... South and North Korea Have the Same English Scores

North Korea, 78 Points→80 Points→83 Points
South Korea, 81 Points→83 Points→83 Points
Strengthening English Education Since Kim Jong-un's Leadership

The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Workers' Party of Korea, featured on its front page on the 1st a report on summer visits to the Baekdusan Revolutionary Sites. The newspaper stated, "The sacred 'Baekdusan University' is crowded daily with many visitors, and the Baekdu region is fervently heated by the growing enthusiasm for visits day by day."

According to a report by Radio Free Asia (RFA) on the 1st (local time), the average TOEFL score of North Korean students was confirmed to be 83 points, the same as the global average.

TOEFL is a test that evaluates English proficiency for non-native English speakers. It consists of four sections?reading, listening, speaking, and writing?each scored out of 30 points, with a total score of 120 points.

According to TOEFL average score data for South and North Korea over the past 10 years since 2010, obtained by RFA from the Educational Testing Service (ETS) on the same day, North Korean students’ TOEFL scores have steadily improved over the past decade, reaching the same level as South Korea and the global average.

An ETS spokesperson said in an interview with RFA, "The average TOEFL score of test takers from South Korea last year was 83 points, which is the same as the global average." The score of 83 points is a rounded figure representing the sum of the average scores across the four sections: reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

North Korean students’ English proficiency has steadily increased over the past 10 years, rising from 78 points in 2010 to 80 points in 2015 and 83 points in 2019. During the same period, South Korean students’ scores were 81, 83, and 83 points, respectively.

However, North Korea does not have an official testing agency like ETS. It is presumed that North Korean nationals take the TOEFL test in third countries such as China or Europe. Since Koreans affiliated with the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (Chongryon) living in Japan also take the TOEFL test with North Korean nationality, their scores may also be included in North Korea’s average score.

Meanwhile, since Kim Jong-un assumed power, North Korea has strengthened English education to cultivate scientific and technological talent. English instruction is doubled in the 4th and 5th grades of elementary school compared to before, and in junior high school, English is taught for four hours a week in all grades.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.