By Hur SomEe and Kim Young Shin

The first volume of a Korean language textbook for Thai middle schools was published on Oct. 9. It has been almost 10 years since 2008 when the Thai education ministry adopted Korean as one of its official second languages for middle schools.

The textbook consists of six volumes, each with 12 units and 120 pages that helps students to learn beginning Korean vocabulary and grammar, equivalent to the Test of Proficiency in Korean (TOPIK) level I.

The textbook was jointly published by the Korean and Thai ministries of education.

The six volumes will be consecutively released through March 2018, which marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Seoul and Bangkok. The book will be the official textbook of the Thai government, too, starting in May 2018 when the new Thai school year begins.

Finally, Korean will also become an official second language subject on the Thai university entrance exam starting in 2018.

sehp91@korea.kr