Starting September 2019, The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona in collaboration with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and the Korea Foundation, will be offering courses in Korean language (Hanguel) for those students interested in mastering the basic grammar and writing system of the Korean language.

The courses will provide students with the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of activities in speaking, listening, reading, and writing to improve their communication skills in Korean.

Career diplomat Young G Lee, Charge d’ Affaires at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea, is the mastermind behind the project and he played a vital role in orchestrating the collaboration which led to the implementation of the course at the university. Lee recently took the time to answer a few pertinent questions which may arise about the courses.

Q: Why did you think Korean language courses were needed at UWI?

A:During a meeting with the Chancellor of UWI, Mr Robert Burmudez, in 2017, I realised that Korean culture and language is severely under-promoted in Jamaica and as head of Mission at the Embassy, I believed that it was my personal mission to change that.

I decided to start the journey at UWI because I realised that mostly young adults expressed interest in Korean culture and I wanted to create a medium to aid in the expansion of their knowledge at the stage they’re at now. I didn’t believe that it would be fair to deprive those already interested of the opportunity to learn.

Q: Why should students enroll in the Korean language courses?

A: Korea’s popularity is rapidly increasing worldwide as more and more persons become interested in the ‘K-Wave’, which includes K-dramas, K-pop and K-beauty. There has been an uptick in the number of students opting to go to Korea to further their studies, and in the number of tourists visiting annually.

Research shows that many persons are now choosing to adopt Hanguel as a second language and despite its complex appearance, it is really quite easy to learn. Many illustrious scholars, linguists and writers are praising the Korean language, many calling it the most scientific and easy to learn system of writing in general use in any country. English is nowhere near as easy or scientific, which is why I am poor at English and cannot master it. So if a person can master the English language then they are more than capable of learning Hanguel.

Students should enroll in the Korean language course because given the rapid spread of the Korean Wave, learning more about the culture and language will give them a distinct edge on the international stage. Also, I assure you that the course materials will be engaging and interesting so at no point will any student regret registering for the courses.

Q: What made the Korea Foundation the ideal institution for UWI to partner with?

A: The Korea Foundation was created to promote awareness and understanding of Korea worldwide and to improve the goodwill and friendship of the international community towards Korea. The Foundation provides support for Korean studies, as well as promote cultural and people exchange. The mandate of the foundation made it the most equipped to coordinate and execute such a significant project. I am extremely pleased with the results of their work with UWI.

The Korea Foundation conducted a nationwide recruitment process for a visiting professor in Korean language to dispatch to UWI and out of all the candidates Ms Bo-Kyoung Kim was selected to serve as the Korea Foundation visiting professor. Professor Kim was a top-ranking candidate, and holds a PhD in Korean Studies with specialised major in education of Korean language as a foreign language, so I know for a fact that the visiting professor is well-equipped to not only teach the language, but to make the learning experience as enjoyable as possible.

Under the partnership, Professor Kim will be delivering lectures in Hanguel at UWI Mona for two academic years.

Q: How do you plan to further promote Korean language in Jamaica?

A: My plan is to continue working with UWI to increase the popularity of the Korean language courses until we arrive at a point where establishing a Korean Centre on the UWI Mona campus is justified. The Korean Centre will facilitate the expansion of course offerings by creating an avenue for the introduction of courses in Korean studies, which will cover the economy and history of the Korean Republic.

Once that is accomplished the embassy will begin exploring ways to include the general public and hopefully, in the near future, Korean courses will be a normal occurrence in Jamaican society.