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Korean Language Education in Uzbekistan

The establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Uzbekistan in 1992 has increased Uzbekistan’s interest in South Korea. The number of Korean language students and Korean language education in Uzbekistan has grown rapidly in recent years. According to the Uzbekistan Ministry of Education in 2024, about 5,300 students were studying Korean at 22 Uzbek universities. Twelve universities have opened majors in Korean, with five of them offering master's programs. The growth of interest in Korea and its language is resulting in the increase of Uzbekistani students studying in Korea, as evidenced by the breakdown of international students by nationality in the Korean Ministry of Justice's immigration statistics for 2023. The number of international students from Uzbekistan stood at 11,910 in July 2023, ranking third only after China and Vietnam.

Current Status of Korean Language Department at Kimyo International University

It is not an exaggeration that the expansion of Korean language education in Uzbekistan has grown rapidly since the establishment of Kimyo International University in Tashkent. Kimyo, which opened in 2018 as the first private university in Uzbekistan, adopted a Korean-style education system in collaboration with Yeoju Institute of Technology in South Korea. At the time of its opening, Kimyo provided Korean language education to all students. It opened a Korean language department in 2019 and a master's program in September 2024. Currently, the Korean language department has more than 1,000 students at the Tashkent campus alone, including day, evening, and distance students. By 2024, two undergraduate classes graduated from the university. The undergraduate program focuses on basic Korean in the first year, and Korean pedagogy and Korean studies geared for Korean language education professionals in the second, third, and fourth years. In the second semester of the fourth year, students undergo a 240-hour on-the-job field practice course at various educational institutions as part of training for professional Korean language teachers.

The Korean Language Master’s Program, which opened in September 2024, strives to establish itself as a specialized institution for Korean studies in Uzbekistan by dealing with Korean studies, including Korean language education, research on Korean literature, and comparative research on Korean and Uzbek languages. One distinct element of the graduate school of Kimyo International University is that all master's students are required to write their thesis in Korean.

Culture Experience Activities at the Korean Language Department

The Korean Language Department at Kimyo International University holds various programs every year for students to experience Korean culture. The Korean Cultural Event held in 2024 was supported by the Education and Cultural Program of the Korean Studies Grant Program of the Academy of Korean Studies. Under the theme of “I Love Korea,” the event was divided into two parts, which included various events such as K-pop, K-drama, Korean poetry recitation, a presentation on the topic of “my own way of studying Korean,” Korean folk games, and food experiences. The event became a meaningful cultural festival where not only Korean language students but also the entire university students could learn about and experience Korean culture. We thank the Academy of Korean Studies for supporting the event.

Remaining Challenges

The qualitative development of Korean language education in Uzbekistan has been slower than the quantitative growth. What’s urgent is the supply of qualified Korean professors who can help develop Korean studies in Uzbekistan. In most Korean language education institutions in Uzbekistan, Korean teachers with no higher than TOPIK 3 certificate can teach Korean in elementary, middle, and high schools and Korean language institutes. The same is true for those currently teaching Korean at universities. Besides, there is an urgent need to develop Korean textbooks and course materials that are tailored to local situations. Uzbekistan students use the reference books on the contrast between Korean and Uzbek, as well as theoretical books on Korean studies, that are all written for native speakers of Korean. The university is preparing to publish textbooks on Korean language and Korean studies that takes into account the characteristics of Uzbek native speakers. It is hoped that the books will be used by all Korean departments in Uzbekistan.

In graduate education, the construction of the foundation of high academic standard should be linked to specialized courses. The master's program at Kimyo is still in its early stage, but it should conduct a wide range of research activities that combine the students and specialized professors. In this regard, the 2025 Academic Conference, which is scheduled to be held this year, is expected to provide an opportunity for Uzbek graduate students to gain access to the expertise of renowned scholars in the field of Korean language studies through lectures and encourage continued interest in and passion for Korean language studies.