Over 50,000 Vietnamese study Korean language, culture at universities, schools

By Duong Tam June 23, 2023 | 09:00 pm PT

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee take pictures with students at the Vietnam National University in Hanoi, June 22, 2023. Photo courtesy of the South Korean President Office

Over 50,000 students are studying the Korean language, culture and others at universities and colleges in Vietnam, the director of the Vietnam National University Hanoi said.

Speaking at a reception for visiting South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife Kim Keon-hee on Thursday, Le Quan said Vietnam has the largest and most comprehensive training and research programs for the Korean language and culture in Asia.

At the post-graduate level, the University of Languages and International Studies in Hanoi offers a degree in Korean and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in HCMC, in Korean studies.

Besides, 79 secondary and high schools teach Korean as a second foreign language.

In 2021 it began to be taught as a first foreign language on a trial basis.

Yoon said he was happy to see more and more Vietnamese learning Korean.

"I know the Korean language has been chosen by many young people in Vietnam to learn, not just university students but also high school and secondary school students.

"I was also impressed to hear students pronounce Korean well."

Cultural exchanges would be a good opportunity for young Vietnamese to learn about the Korean culture, he said, promising to introduce more policies to help them do that.

Yoon arrived in Hanoi Thursday for a three-day state visit at the invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart.