Korean language learning now booming in Vietnam
Over 50,000 students are studying Korean at more than 60 universities and colleges in Vietnam, making it the top Asian language in terms of the training scale.
According to the Office of the President of the Republic of Korea (RoK), Vietnam has the largest and most comprehensive training and research programmes for the Korean language and culture in Asia.
Speaking during a visit to the Vietnam National University - Hanoi on June 22, RoK President Yoon Suk Yeol highlighted that Korean has been chosen by many young people in Vietnam to learn, not just university but also high school and secondary school students.
Nearly 80 secondary and high schools teach Korean as a second foreign language. In 2021, the language began to be taught as a first foreign language on a trial basis.
In 2021, Vietnam ranked first in the number of international students in the RoK with 70,200, about 40% of them language learners. Along with Japan, the RoK are most favoured overseas destinations for Vietnamese students.
According to Dr. Tran Thi Huong, Dean of the Faculty of Korean Language and Culture, University of Foreign Languages and Internationals Studies, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, the movement of studying Korean began when the two countries officially established diplomatic relations in December 1992. Since then, the number of language learners has increased in line with the unprecedented development of the partnership.
Besides, the strong investment of Korean conglomerates, including Samsung, LG, SK, Posco, Hyundai, and Lotte, is a push for the learning of the language as the demand for human resources with proficiency in Korean is increasing.
As of April, the RoK was the largest foreign investor with nearly US$82 billion in registered capital, second in development aid (ODA) and third in trade in Vietnam.