COLOMBO : On 17th March 2021, Korean Ambassador Santhush Woonjin JEONG convened a virtual meeting with Professor Upul Dissanayake, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya to discuss the expansion and promotion of Korean language education in Sri Lanka. They explored specific areas of cooperation in the cultural and educational spheres.
The Ambassador expressed his pleasure regarding the establishment of the King Sejong Institute which started last year in Kandy. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the University of Peradeniya will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the King Sejong Institute to strengthen cultural exchanges and the mutual relationship between both countries. Since last July King Sejong Institute has been conducting online Korean language classes due to the ongoing pandemic.
The Ambassador commented that “the Korean language programmes launched by the King Sejong Institute will benefit many students who are enthusiastic about learning the Korean language. The Korea-Sri Lanka cultural cooperation has been robust in the last decade due to the many efforts employed by both countries to strengthen our bilateral ties in cultural and educational spheres. The interest shown by Sri Lankans to learn the Korean language is symbolic of our long standing relations.”
Prof. Upul Dissanayake expressed his hope to enhance the Korean language education not only to the students at the university but to people from all walks of life as it is an asset that can provide more job opportunities to Sri Lankans. In response to this expectation, H.E. Ambassador Santhush Woonjin JEONG expressed the support and assistance of the Korean government in the expansion of Korean-language education in Sri Lanka. The establishment of the King Sejong Institute will provide a great opportunity for the Sri Lankan public to learn and familiarize themselves with the Korean Language and culture.
Furthermore, the Ambassador stated that the Korean language is officially adopted as a foreign language for the advanced level curriculum by the Ministry of Education in Sri Lanka from 2021 onwards. The introduction of Korean language to advanced classes will build bridges of friendship and also empower young students with advanced Korean language skills which will open more opportunities in other countries including the Republic of Korea.
The engagement in labour cooperation between Korea and Sri Lanka has also been commendable in recent years. The Korean government policy of “equal pay for equal work” has further elevated the engagement in labour cooperation in recent years. About 23,000 Sri Lankan employees are presently in Korea. Around 520 million US dollars were transmitted by them from Korea to Sri Lanka in 2019. The migrant workers bridge both countries in more ways than one, as they continue to contribute to the economic advancement of Korea and Sri Lanka.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea has been promoting cultural relations through a number of initiatives. The Korea week 2020 organized by the Embassy on virtual platforms last December provided various cultural events including a Korean language speech contest in collaboration with the Kandy King Sejong Institute Centre and the winners were awarded valuable prizes. The establishment of the King Sejong Institute has provided a great opportunity for the Sri Lankan public to learn the Korean language and broaden their horizons for travel and employment
