Students of Korean on March 28 pose for a group photo at a ceremony hosted by the Korean Culture Center in Pretoria, one of the three capitals of South Africa. (Yonhap News)

By Kim Hayeon  

King Sejong Institute, which teaches the Korean language worldwide, has opened a branch in South Africa.

The Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in Pretoria, one of the three capitals of the African country focused on the executive branch, on March 28 held the opening ceremony for the branch and held lectures on Korean language and culture for 30 students.

The 30 who attended were all locals.

The institute in Pretoria is holding a pilot run of its 16-week course, and attendees were chosen on a first-come, first-served basis due to high demand.

Among the students were family members Stephanie, 11, a student in the fifth grade of elementary school; her mother Eureta, 49, and her sister Yana, 22.

Mrs. Universe South Africa Melody Zondo, 43, also registered for the institute. First organized in Sofia, Bulgaria in 2007, the beauty pageant is geared toward older models including married women.

A resident of Johannesburg, an hour-long drive from Pretoria, Zondo told Yonhap News in an interview, "I came to King Sejong Institute to learn how to communicate better with all of Korea before participating in the Mrs. Universe competition, in which 110 candidates from around the world will compete in Seoul in June."

"Learning the language is the best way to get immersed in the culture and express oneself," she added, "By learning Korean, I am embracing its culture. "

Chun Jung Bum, director of the KCC in Pretoria, stressed the importance of learning Korean in his congratulatory speech and said, "Nelson Mandela once said that if you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart." 

The South African branch is the 13th for King Sejong in Africa.

hayeounk8@korea.kr