Latest news with #Hangeul
Straits Times
05-07-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
New Sejong Institutes to open amid growing demand for Korean language classes
SEOUL - Amid surging global interest in Korean language and culture, the King Sejong Institute Foundation, which oversees Korean language education abroad, is expanding its network to ease waitlists and meet growing demand for Korean classes worldwide. In 2025, 11 new King Sejong Institutes, named after King Sejong the Great (1397-1450), who created the Korean alphabet Hangeul, will open across nine countries, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 4. With the additions there will be a total of 252 institutes in 87 countries. In Egypt, where the only KSI in Cairo faced a waitlist of more than 1,200 students, two new centers will open at Ain Shams University and Alexandria University to accommodate learners eager to study Korean for academic, professional, and cultural reasons. The expansion reflects the growing presence of Korean businesses in Egypt, which has increased local demand for Korean language skills for employment. Uzbekistan, which already hosts seven KSIs, will gain an additional center at Ajou University in Tashkent, responding to rising demand among students preparing for study in Korea and seeking Korean language proficiency for employment opportunities. The country now sends over 12,000 students to Korea each year, the fourth highest after China, Vietnam and Mongolia. In Asia, new KSIs will open in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Shenyang in China, Taipei in Taiwan, and Munoz in the Philippines, while Europe's expanding Korean language demand has led to new centers in Bonn in Germany, Turin in Italy, and Miskolc in Hungary. In 2024 alone, a total of 210,374 students studied Korean both online and offline at King Sejong Institutes worldwide. This is a significant increase from 2007, when the first King Sejong Institute opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with just 13 centers in three countries opening that year, with 740 students. The ministry said that it planned to gradually expand the number of King Sejong Institutes to more than 350 by 2030 to ensure that Korean language learners worldwide can access classes as demand continues to grow. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore CPF members can make housing, retirement and health insurance plans with new digital platform Singapore From temples to towers: Old memories collide with new money in Geylang Singapore Clans of Geylang: The fight for survival and revival Asia Magnitude 5.4 quake shakes south-western Japan islands as temblors continue Singapore Tan Cheng Bock and Hazel Poa step down from PSP leadership Life 'I applied to over 300 jobs': What people wish they knew before they got laid off Asia Dream wheels, Malaysian deals: Singaporean car lovers find affordable indulgence across the border Asia How a Singaporean heatproofs himself to cope with 40 deg C summer in Chongqing
Korea Herald
04-07-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
New Sejong Institutes to open amid growing demand for Korean language classes
Eleven new institutes in nine countries to open this year Amid surging global interest in Korean language and culture, the King Sejong Institute Foundation, which oversees Korean language education abroad, is expanding its network to ease waitlists and meet growing demand for Korean classes worldwide. This year, 11 new King Sejong Institutes, named after King Sejong the Great (1397-1450), who created the Korean alphabet Hangeul, will open across nine countries, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Friday. With the additions there will be a total of 252 institutes in 87 countries. In Egypt, where the only KSI in Cairo faced a waitlist of more than 1,200 students, two new centers will open at Ain Shams University and Alexandria University to accommodate learners eager to study Korean for academic, professional, and cultural reasons. The expansion reflects the growing presence of Korean businesses in Egypt, which has increased local demand for Korean language skills for employment. Uzbekistan, which already hosts seven KSIs, will gain an additional center at Ajou University in Tashkent, responding to rising demand among students preparing for study in Korea and seeking Korean language proficiency for employment opportunities. The country now sends over 12,000 students to Korea each year, the fourth highest after China, Vietnam and Mongolia. In Asia, new KSIs will open in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Dubai in United Arab Emirates, Shenyang in China, Taipei in Taiwan, and Munoz in the Philippines, while Europe's expanding Korean language demand has led to new centers in Bonn in Germany, Turin in Italy, and Miskolc in Hungary. In 2024 alone, a total of 210,374 students studied Korean both online and offline at King Sejong Institutes worldwide. This is a significant increase from 2007, when the first King Sejong Institute opened in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, with just 13 centers in three countries opening that year, with 740 students. The ministry said that it planned to gradually expand the number of King Sejong Institutes to more than 350 by 2030 to ensure that Korean language learners worldwide can access classes as demand continues to grow.
Korea Herald
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea Herald organizes golf tournament in support of Hangeul promotion
The Korea Herald, South Korea's leading English-language daily, hosted a charity golf tournament Wednesday to celebrate its 72nd year and reaffirm its dedication to promoting Hangeul, the Korean alphabet. Held at Serenity Country Club in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, the event drew approximately 300 participants, including Sejong City Mayor Choi Min-ho, prominent business leaders, artists and professional golfers. Corporate sponsors included Yes24 and some 20 additional firms. The tournament, organized in a shotgun format, featured 60 teams. Kim Jong-cheon, the head of Mariee de el Wedding Convention, won first place, while Kim Chang-ryong, former Commissioner General of the Korean National Police Agency, placed second. The golf tournament was followed by a banquet. At the dinner event, tenor Yang Seung-ho and soprano Kim Jung-ah performed, as well as musical actor Lim Tae-kyung. Various prizes and raffle events were also offered to the golf tournament participants. Following the dinner, a charity auction showcased donated works by contemporary sculptors Kwon Chi-gyu, Kim Kyung-min, Lee Wal-chong, 5311 and MeME. A portion of event proceeds, including the auction, will go to support the expansion and enrichment of Sup Sogui Hosu, the world's first Korean language village, located within the Concordia Language Villages in Minnesota, United States. Founded in 1999, the village offers immersive, 24-hour Korean language education. The event also included the announcement of the 2025 Hangeul Run, scheduled for Hangeul Day on Oct. 9. Co-hosted by Herald Media Group and Sejong City, the marathon is expected to draw 10,000 participants. Courses will span symbolic distances of 10.9 kilometers — representing Hangeul Day — and 5.15 kilometers, in honor of King Sejong's birthday on May 15. 'We will create conditions for future generations around the world to communicate and form strong bonds through Hangeul,' said Herald Corp. Chairman Jung Won-ju during the event, adding, 'I hope today's event goes beyond being just a sports competition and becomes a gathering where we unite in pursuit of a greater goal.' 'Hangeul is not just a simple writing system, but a 'language of hope' that connects people and communities,' said Choi Jin-young, CEO and publisher of Herald Media Group. 'We will do our part as a seed in opening the future of a great Korea,' said Choi.
Korea Herald
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Delve into Hangeul's beauty through crafts
National Hangeul Museum to offer hands-on program in Japan The National Hangeul Museum is launching a new educational program dubbed "Atelier Hangeul" in Japan in June as part of a cultural exchange marking the 60th anniversary of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations. The hands-on educational program will familiarize participants Korean writing system while making unique leather craft items using Hangeul letters and traditional Korean patterns. Ten sessions will be held from Tuesday to Saturday at the Korean Cultural Centers in Tokyo and Osaka. More details about the registration are available on the cultural centers' websites. "Hangeul is not just a way to write words or share information, but it can also be seen as a form of art and culture, and it helps connect people with each other. We hope that Japanese people will be able to discover the modern value and beauty of Hangeul through this program," Kang Jeong-won, head of the National Hangeul Museum, said in a press release.
Korea Herald
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Korea embraces beauty of everyday with monthlong craft exhibitions
Craft exhibitions on hanji and hanbok await visitors this month South Korea is turning up the charm this month with a series of craft exhibitions that celebrate the artistry found in everyday objects. The Korea Craft and Design Foundation is presenting "Hanji Objects: Embracing Wisdom" at Hanji House in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, through June 22. The exhibition spotlights "hanji," traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, and its evolving role over the centuries. Once primarily used for writing and books, hanji has long been repurposed into durable, lightweight and humidity-resistant household items. Artifacts on loan from the Hanji Art and Culture Foundation in Wonju, Gangwon Province, and the Goesan Hanji Experience Museum in North Chungcheong Province, illustrate the craftsmanship and ancestral wisdom embedded in these handmade pieces. The exhibition is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and admission is free. From June 13 to 15, the KCDF will also host a three-day hanbok fair at AK& Sejong. The 2025 Hanbok Expo will feature eight hanbok brands — Guiroe, Ccomaque by Dolsilnai, Daraewon Hanbok, Sun Daum, Somock Hanbok, Somikyung, Ondata Parang, and Flora Dress and Hanbok — offering visitors a chance to try on traditional attire and explore the synergy between Hangeul and hanbok. Admission is 5,000 won, with more details available on KCDF's official website. Later that month, jeweler and maker Kim Yoo-jung will unveil her second solo exhibition in five years, "Refuse to Disappear," at Yeol Bukchonga in Jongno-gu, June 17-23. Her contemporary jewelry pieces reflect on the presence of everyday objects and challenge viewers to rethink consumption and value in a fast-paced society. In Gyeonggi Province, the Yangju City Council gallery is showcasing 'The Phrase: Perspectives on Space' through June 27, featuring artists Won Jo-hyun, Lee Se-rim, Lee Eun-kyoung and Chung Dong-gyun. The exhibition draws inspiration from musical phrasing — the shaping of a passage — using visual art to express how individual works can resonate both independently and as a cohesive whole within a shared space. Admission is free.
