Current Status and Challenges of Korean Language Education in Vietnam

Korean language education has been established in Vietnamese universities for 30 years. With high demand for Korean, there has been a rapid increase in universities and Sejong Institutes, and Korean is now promoted as a primary foreign language in elementary and secondary schools. This paper reviews research trends on Korean language education in Vietnam over the past 30 years, focusing on academic journals and comparing the contributions of Vietnamese and Korean researchers. It also assesses the current state of Korean language education across universities and elementary and secondary schools. This paper identifies key challenges in the growing field of Korean language education in Vietnam. These include shortages in faculty, qualifications, and teacher retraining, necessitating systematic training to meet increasing demand in schools. Additionally, there is a need for localized curricula and textbooks for various educational levels and settings. Furthermore, adjustments to the educational system are required to address the needs of university students with advanced Korean proficiency.(Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)