Foreign students enrolled in the Korean language program at the Institute of Foreign Language Education of Dongseo University take a selfie whiel wearing traditional Korean clothing ahead of an etiquette session at Chungnyeol Shrine in Busan, Dec. 15, 2025. Yonhap
The number of overseas elementary, middle and high schools offering Korean language classes either as part of the regular curriculum or through after-school programs reached 2,777 at the end of last year, a 54 percent increase over the past four years.
The figures come from data submitted by the Ministry of Education to Rep. Kim Moon-soo of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea, compiled annually by Korean Education Centers and overseas diplomatic missions.
The data shows that growth has accelerated steadily since 2021. The number of overseas schools operating Korean language programs rose from 1,806 in 2021 to 1,928 in 2022, 2,154 in 2023, and 2,526 in 2024.
Student enrollment in Korean language classes has also continued to rise. The number of students studying Korean increased from 170,563 in 2021 to 236,089 in 2025, marking a 38 percent increase over four years. From 2024 to 2025 alone, enrollment grew by 6.1 percent.
The geographic spread of Korean language education also widened, with the number of countries offering such programs expanding from 42 in 2021 to 47 last year. Uzbekistan recorded the sharpest increase over the past year, adding 68 schools. Sri Lanka followed with 43 additional schools, while Vietnam added 37, the Philippines 26, Brazil 24 and the United States 21.
Other countries like the Czech Republic, Italy, Norway, Georgia, Ethiopia, Moldova and Turkmenistan had only one school offering Korean classes.
The Ministry of Education attributed the growth to increasing global demand for Korean language courses and greater interest in Korean culture and studying here. The ministry also cited government support for operating Korean classes overseas, the distribution of Korean language textbooks, teacher training programs and promotional efforts through Korean Education Centers.
“The number of regular elementary and secondary schools overseas that have opened Korean language classes increased by about 10 percent in the past year and by more than 50 percent over the past four years,” Rep. Kim said, adding that “the combination of the Korean Wave and government support has led to meaningful progress.”
Source: Korea Times News
