Toward a More Inclusive National Curriculum in Korea: Insights from Sweden’s Language-Related Subjects

This study investigates how Sweden’s inclusive national curriculum designs and implements its language related subjects, aiming to identify potential improvements for the Korean national curriculum. Seven language‑related subjects from Sweden’s 2022 revised curriculum for compulsory schools were analyzed, and their implementation was reviewed through official statistics from the Swedish National Agency for Education and relevant scholarly literature. The findings indicate that Sweden formally integrates Swedish as a Second Language, Mother Tongue, and Sami into the national curriculum. This approach not only safeguards the linguistic and cultural identities of school-age minority groups with a background of migration and historical minorities, but also promotes inclusivity for all students, including those from the majority population. Based on these insights, the study proposes three key reforms for Korea’s national curriculum: (1) recognizing Korean as a Second Language as a subject for learners who require it; (2) including guidelines for supplemental support for heritage language education; and (3) incorporating the histories, cultures, and identities of historical minority or “diaspora returnee” groups into relevant subjects. These recommendations aim to support the development of a more equitable and inclusive curriculum that ensures all learners—regardless of linguistic or cultural background—have fair opportunities and meaningful educational outcomes in Korea.