Korean language studies popular in Vietnam
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HANOI (Yonhap) -- A growing number of Vietnamese students are studying the Korean language at university, mainly to work at Korean firms operating in their country, local sources said Tuesday.
More than 2,000 students are studying Korean at 10 universities nationwide, including Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi and another national college in Ho Chi Minh, the sources said. About 150 professors and instructors, including some 50 native speakers from South Korea, teach the classes.
Among the 10 universities, the College of Foreign Languages at VNU, Hanoi, was the first to open a department for Korean language studies in 1996, graduating more than 300 students over the past 15 years. Many of the graduates have found jobs at South Korean firms or in areas related to the country, with some preparing to go to South Korea for further studies.
On average, just one in three applicants receives admission to the Korean language department each year, but students are drawn to the various rewards of graduating from the course. Korean firms will often hire them for a monthly salary of more than US$500 and sometimes sponsor study opportunities in South Korea.
The South Korean government has also stepped in to encourage such moves, providing reference materials to universities that teach Korean and expanding scholarship programs in South Korea for graduates, the sources said.
More than 2,000 students are studying Korean at 10 universities nationwide, including Vietnam National University (VNU) in Hanoi and another national college in Ho Chi Minh, the sources said. About 150 professors and instructors, including some 50 native speakers from South Korea, teach the classes.
Among the 10 universities, the College of Foreign Languages at VNU, Hanoi, was the first to open a department for Korean language studies in 1996, graduating more than 300 students over the past 15 years. Many of the graduates have found jobs at South Korean firms or in areas related to the country, with some preparing to go to South Korea for further studies.
On average, just one in three applicants receives admission to the Korean language department each year, but students are drawn to the various rewards of graduating from the course. Korean firms will often hire them for a monthly salary of more than US$500 and sometimes sponsor study opportunities in South Korea.
The South Korean government has also stepped in to encourage such moves, providing reference materials to universities that teach Korean and expanding scholarship programs in South Korea for graduates, the sources said.
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