The Korea Foundation invited 34 foreign diplomats from 33 countries to its Korean Language and Culture Program in Korea from March 9 to May 25, 2018.

With a focus on Korean language classes offered four hours a day, five days a week, the program includes special lectures on Korean studies, visits to cultural and historic sites and industrial facilities, and cultural events. Commissioned by the Korea Foundation, the Korean language classes are organized by the Language Education Institute of Seoul National University, and the special lectures by the Korean National Diplomatic Academy.

For the participants of the program, the Korea Foundation hosted a welcoming ceremony beginning at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 9, the first day of the program. Distinguished guests from 18 embassies in Seoul, including Dominican Republic Ambassador Grecia Pichardo and Paraguayan Ambassador Raul Silvero, attended the ceremony to give encouragement to the participants.

The Korea Foundation has organized the Korean Language and Culture Program for Diplomats since 2005 to enable foreign diplomats to enhance their understanding of Korea and to become Korea experts on the world diplomatic stage. Program participants are selected at the recommendation of the Korean diplomatic missions abroad. The participants of this year’s program are nine diplomats from nine South Asian and Pacific countries, ten from ten Central and South American countries, ten from ten African and Middle Eastern countries, and five from four European and Central Asian countries.

The participants learn Korean in the morning and attend cultural classes of Taekwondo, calligraphy and samulnori in the afternoon. During the weekend, they visit cultural and historic sites and industrial facilities in various cities. They are also assisted one on one by Seoul National University student volunteers in language learning and exchange activities with Koreans.

In addition, they attend special lectures on Korean politics and diplomacy at the Korean National Diplomatic Academy and visit the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to meet with Korean diplomats. Such activities are expected to contribute to building networks of international diplomats with Korean experiences in common and to promoting friendly relations with Korea in the future.

A total of 382 diplomats from 98 countries participated in the program from 2005 to 2017. Returning home, they have been active as Korea experts at foreign affairs ministries, or at diplomatic missions in Korea.