As Korea’s representative public organization for cultural diplomacy, the Korea Foundation implements a variety of projects to promote cultural exchange and Korean Studies in the global community with its own funds as well as contributions from private entities and individuals under the Designated Donation Program. Donations from Kookmin Bank have recently resulted in the publication of Korean language textbooks for students in four countries: Vietnam, Mongolia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.

Systematic Development of Instructional Materials

This project was commenced in 2007 with a designated donation from Kookmin Bank to develop, publish, and distribute Korean language textbooks for university students in Vietnam, Mongolia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan, where demand for Korean language instruction has been increasing at exponential rates.

The KF-Kookmin Korean language textbooks target learners in countries with a surging interest in Korea’s language and culture, due to the growing popularity of hallyu (overseas craze for Korean pop culture) as well as Korea-related employment opportunities. They have been developed through a systematic process with the participation of prominent specialists in Korean language education and local Korean language educators in each country, who have attended joint workshops held in Korea and the other countries involved.

In order to overcome the limitations of existing Korean language textbooks for overseas learners, independently developed by either Korean or local educators, the project included a survey of the particular needs of local learners, assessment of the current education programs, and trial usage of the newly developed materials. This process resulted in the development of customized textbooks for each country, setting a new milestone in overseas Korean language education.

Tailored to Meet Specific Local Needs

The textbook series consists of three levels – Beginner (1, 2), Intermediate (3, 4), and Advanced (5, 6) – that have been specifically tailored to the particular circumstances and needs of local learners. They are supplemented with workbooks and CDs so as to provide students with an easier and more effective learning experience. Publication of the series in three languages, except that for Kazakhstan, was completed at the end of 2011.

The textbooks will be distributed free of charge to major universities in the respective countries to be used as primary or supplemental instructional materials. Thus the project is expected to further encourage the fervor for learning Korean in these countries. The development of textbooks for Kazakhstan is currently underway for completion in the first half this year. Then, the Foundation plans to express its appreciation to Kookmin Bank for funding this meaningful project with a congratulatory event.

In addition to making donations over the past five years to support Korean language education abroad, Kookmin Bank has expressed its intention to offer large-scale assistance to further promote Korean language education in major regions around the world. The joint endeavor of Kookmin Bank and the Foundation has d a model for private-public cooperation by demonstrating the far-reaching impact of designated corporate donations to support overseas cultural and artistic activities.

Moon Jae-seung Korean Studies Department