'6th in the World' The Key to Global Cultural, Economic, and Social Competitiveness [Korean, the Language of the World]

① The Growing Global Passion for Korean
2.6 Million Foreigners Now Living in Korea
Korean Ranks Higher Than Chinese as a Studied Language
Korean Taught in 2,154 Overseas Schools
Korean Reflected in University Admissions in 10 Countries

The world is captivated by the Korean language. Beyond mere "language learning," Korean has become a key competency for deeply understanding Korean culture and expanding economic and social opportunities. The number of foreigners who read books in Korean, enjoy K-pop, dramas, and films in their original language, and seek to work or study in Korea is growing explosively. As of November last year, the number of foreigners residing in Korea was close to 2.6 million. This is about 5% of the total domestic population (51.7 million), exceeding the population of North Gyeongsang Province (2.53 million). Korean is now recognized as more than just a language-it is seen as the "key" to global cultural and economic activities.

Sixth Most Studied Language Worldwide...Expansion as a Second Foreign Language

According to the "2025 Language Report" by Duolingo, a U.S.-based mobile learning platform, released on December 8, Korean is the sixth most studied language in the world. It ranks ahead of Italian (7th), Chinese (8th), Portuguese (9th), and Hindi (10th). The only languages with more learners than Korean are English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and German.

Korean's growth is particularly notable in several countries. In Argentina, Colombia, France, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and Poland, Korean was recorded as the "second fastest-growing language."

Ma Juyon, Country Manager of Duolingo Korea, explained, "This year's report shows that global interest in various languages, including Korean, is expanding even further," adding, "The popularity of K-content and the establishment of native language-based learning environments are creating strong synergy."

With rising demand, educational opportunities for learning Korean are rapidly expanding. The number of overseas elementary and secondary schools teaching Korean nearly doubled from 1,111 in 2014 to 2,154 in 2023. Japan had the most schools (578), followed by the United States (217), Thailand (209), and Brazil (105).

The number of students learning Korean also increased from 159,864 in 2020 to 202,745 in 2023. In addition, the number of countries adopting Korean as a second foreign language grew from 11 in 2014 to 24 in 2023, and the number of countries reflecting Korean in university entrance exams expanded from four to ten (including New Zealand, Bulgaria, Uzbekistan, Thailand, France, and Australia).

Korean Cultural Centers in major global hubs are also experiencing intense demand. In some cases, students must obtain a waiting ticket just to attend classes. Seongwon, an officer at the Korean Cultural Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, said, "Last year, over 1,000 people applied, but we could not accommodate everyone, so we selected students through a placement test." Min Byungwook, Head of the Korean Language Promotion Team at the Korean Cultural Center in Tokyo, Japan, added, "All classes are fully booked six days a week, except Sundays, and only those selected by lottery can attend."

In regions without cultural centers, YouTube has become a major learning channel. "Talk To Me In Korean" (about 2.01 million subscribers), "sweetandtastyTV" (about 1.14 million subscribers), and "Eatyourkimchi Studio" (about 1.15 million subscribers) are representative Korean language education channels.

Expansion of TOPIK...300 Sejong Institutes Targeted

The number of applicants for the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK), the official certification for Korean language proficiency, is steadily rising. When the test was first held in 1997, there were only 2,692 applicants. This number surged to 34,028 in 2006, 250,141 in 2016, and 421,174 in 2023. The Ministry of Education increased the number of annual test sessions from nine to twelve and expanded Internet-Based Testing (IBT) from three sessions in six countries to six sessions in thirteen countries. Next year, this will be expanded to seventeen countries.

The growth of the Sejong Institute is also rapid. Starting in 2007 with 13 branches in three countries and only 740 students, by 2023, about 210,000 people were learning Korean at 256 branches (centers) in 88 countries. The number of students on the waiting list exceeds 10,000. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to expand the Sejong Institute to 300 branches by 2027 and to advance the AI-based Korean self-learning app.

Although Korean language education is spreading rapidly, there are still challenges to ensure its quality. One of the main issues is the lack of well-developed textbooks. Korean language textbooks are not just tools for teaching language-they are essential media for conveying vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, listening, as well as Korean culture and history.

According to a 2020 survey by the National Institute of the Korean Language, Korean textbooks used overseas received low marks for stimulating learning interest and offering a variety of practice exercises. A lack of multicultural sensitivity was also pointed out. Locally customized textbooks have only been developed for ten countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand, highlighting the need for improvement.

With global enthusiasm for learning Korean at an all-time high, it is crucial to provide more systematic support and establish sustainable strategies. Choi Hwiyeong, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, announced plans to pursue localization strategies and collaborate with various stakeholders to enhance the system for spreading Korean language and culture abroad. He stated, "We will actively promote the spread of Hangeul and our culture so that Korea can emerge as a cultural powerhouse in solidarity with the world."