By Honorary Reporter Minnath Azeez from Sri Lanka

Photos: Korean Embassy in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has officially adopted Korean as a foreign language elective for the island nation's college entrance exam. Students can take Korean from 12th grade and sit for an advanced exam in the language from 2023 to enter a public university.

Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jeong Woo-jin said, "It's wonderful that the Korean language was adopted in advanced-level classes this year and in an exam from 2023, when students who studied Korean as a foreign language can take the university entrance exam. It will greatly contribute to the promotion of bilateral ties."

Over 23,000 Sri Lankans work in Korea, and around USD 520 million was remitted to the island nation in 2019 alone. The ambassador said learning Korean will mean more job opportunities for Sri Lankans in Korea, especially with the Korean government's equal pay policy.

High interest in K-pop, Korean dramas and other aspects of Hallyu among youths in Sri Lanka has greatly boosted demand for Korean-language education. King Sejong Institute in Kandy, Korea Corner at the Public Library in Colombo and the University of Kelaniya offer such classes but Sri Lanka has a shortage of teachers.

A launching ceremony is held at the National Institute of Education in Maharagama for the Online Capacity Building Program for Teachers of Korean Language in Sri Lanka.

To overcome the shortage, the Korean Embassy in Columbo, in cooperation with the National Institute of Education in Sri Lanka, launched last year the Online Capacity Building Program for Teachers of Korean Language in Sri Lanka. Under this program, Korean-language teachers in the country can receive professional training through courses taught by native Korean speakers worldwide.

"More Sri Lankan youths should be encouraged to learn Korean and become important assets to promote Korea-Sri Lanka friendship," the ambassador said. "I hope that friends from all walks of life in Sri Lanka will continue to work together to take our bilateral relations to another level and create a brighter future for our two countries. It is our strong belief that student exchanges and cultural relations will keep strengthening and thus continue making a greater contribution to consolidating our ties."

Korean Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jeong Woo-jin (right) and Sri Lankan Education Minister G.L Pieris hold talks at the Korean Embassy in Sri Lanka.

kalhong617@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.