Teaching Vietnamese in Korea: Means of tightening bilateral ties

With Vietnam-Republic of Korea relations having been tightened over recent years, demand for studying Korean in Vietnam and vice-versa has increased accordingly. Join us to see how Vietnamese language classes have gained in popularity in the Republic of Korea.

The Hankuk University of Foreign Studies has had a Vietnamese Studies Faculty since December 1966. Students are not only taught the Vietnamese language but also learn about Vietnam’s economy, culture, and history, among other things.

For most South Koreans, learning the Vietnamese language is quite difficult, as it has six different tones and multiple accents. To help them overcome such difficulties, the faculty has invited native-speaking lecturers with both northern and southern accents to teach. South Korean lecturers, meanwhile, only teach subjects relating to Vietnamese studies.

According to Professor Jung Nam Song, Head of the Vietnamese Studies Faculty at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, learning each other’s language is very important in boosting mutual understanding and thus further promoting Vietnam-Republic of Korea bilateral ties.

The faculty has a high graduation rate, and the majority of students find employment upon graduation, mainly at large enterprises. The faculty has trained thousands of students to date./.

VNA