Demand for Korean language training shoots up in India

New Delhi. As the craze for learning the Korean language catches up with the Indian youths, the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) has decided to boost its training capacity by more than double.

For this, the KCCI is going to set up a new training center near its New Delhi office to accommodate more Indian youths, especially the university students opting to learn the Korean language to make their career.

With this, the capacity of the KCCI would go up from 60 students per semester to 160 students. At present only 380 students are learning the Korean language in a year at KCCI’s training center in Lajpat Nagar, New Delhi.

“Earlier the Indian students came to KCCI to learn the Korean language for understanding the lyrics of the K-pop numbers but now many youths are pursuing this language for career opportunities and jobs. The existing center is already is full and about 200 students apply for the limited 60 seats. We are now constrained to take the interviews to shortlist the students,” Kim, Kum-Pyoung, Director/Counsellor, Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) told the Asian Community News (ACN) Network.

The new center will be able to accommodate 100 students per semester, taking the total capacity from 60 to 160 per semester.

Korea is looking forward to a bigger role the Indian youths can play in improving the relationship of India with Korea.

“Our role in terms of Korean language teaching is not just to focus on the hobby but also educating students who can have an important role in business and cultural exchange between the two countries. The new center will lay focus on the training to the university students opting for Korean language training for making their career,” said Kim.

KCCI plans to prepare university students for teaching the Korean language further to other students in schools and universities too.

Kim said, “We will teach the students to the level of teachers so that they can teach youngsters in Indian schools and universities too. Our teaching courses will concentrate on academics. Within two years, they will get the highest level of education here and they can teach at the schools.”

The KCCI already has a friendly relationship with universities such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Delhi University (DU) and others.

“Sometimes we have Korean language workshops conducted at these universities too. Soon, we will organize model lectures in middle and high schools as well,” said Kim.

While explaining about other initiatives the KCCI was undertaking to promote the Korean language in India, its Director/Counsellor said, “We also have world World K-speech contest held in India every year, and the winner is sent to Korea to participate in the world championship in Korea.”

The event is organized by King Sejong Institute, and the winner is sent to Korea for the world championship.

KCCI also has schemes to promote Korean language and culture for the Indians, and more than 100,000 Indian youths participate in these programs.

“Those who don’t know the Korean language, for them we have introduced Korean via English medium. We undertake Korea-India Friendship Essay Competition, Korea-India Friendship Quiz Competition, Korea-India Friendship Painting Competition. Every contest, we have 20-30 thousands of students participating in it. More than one lakh Indian students are involved in Korean related contests every year,” Kim added.

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Kim believes that those youths who are engaged in such activities they will never forget Korea as they are trained to focus on Korea, its culture and other aspects, and they are the ones who are going to play a vital role in improving the relation between the two countries.

Set up in the year 2012 in India, the KCCI focused on to make a platform to introduce Korean culture and reach out to the younger generation.

Since then, the KCCI has partnered with more than 100 schools and has set up language courses. Annually, more than 1000 students, mostly university students are learning the Korean language in India.

“We also want to introduce Korean modern contemporary pop culture, pop music and drama to Indian youngsters. Earlier, India was one of the last countries that were not accepting Korean culture, but not Indian youths have embraced it,” Kim added.

The Indian youths are exhibiting its interest in the K-pop music and it was very evident when the world popular Korean number Gangnam Style was very much liked by Indian youth too.

“The number of Indian youths participating in K-pop contest is also increasing in great number. More than 1000 youngsters have applied for the K–pop contest and it becomes a festival for them. This year we will have regional rounds of k-pop contest in 15 cities, be it Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata or Bhubaneshwar. The final may happen at the Siri Fort Auditorium in July,” said Kim.

Kim said that recently Korean band came and performed in India without KCCI’s help and this year too there is one K-pop band came and performed in Delhi and Mumbai.

“On May 31, another band V.A.V. will perform in Delhi and north-eastern city Imphal. Korean drama is very well made and if Indian youngsters taste they will not leave it. Earlier Cooking Nanta too came to India last year,” Kim added.