By Na Jeong-ju
Staff Reporter
The administration plans to set up 150 Korean-language schools overseas by 2015 as part of efforts to promote cultural exchanges, President Lee Myung-bak said Friday.
The language schools, all called the King Sejong Institute, will play a central role in globalizing the Korean alphabet or hangeul, as well as providing information about the country, he said.
"A growing number of foreigners are trying to learn Korean as the country is increasing its global presence," Lee said in a speech to mark the 563rd anniversary of hangeul's creation. A 6.2-meter-tall statue of Sejong the Great (1397-1450), who sponsored the creation of the Korean alphabet, was unveiled during the ceremony at Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul.
"We will establish more Korean language institutes overseas to make it easier for foreigners to learn hangeul and Korean culture," Lee said.
Commenting on an Indonesian minority tribe's recent decision to adopt hangeul as its official alphabet to transcribe its own language, the President said it has high potential to become a common script in various nations as it is easy to read and write.
Globalization of hangeul is one of the key projects aimed at improving Korea's reputation overseas. The Presidential Council on Nation Branding said the different names of Korean-language academies overseas will be unified under the King Sejong Institute to better address the growing number of foreigners wanting to learn the Korean language.
The country currently has 35 such institutes, mostly in North America and Japan.
The government plans to set up others in Southeast Asian countries, where Korean dramas and pop songs have become increasingly popular.
jj@koreatimes.co.kr