Korean Education Center opens 40th branch in Ukraine

Published : Mar 17, 2017 - 15:15 Updated : Mar 17, 2017 - 15:15

The Korean Education Center, a Ministry of Education-affiliated agency in charge of teaching Korean to overseas Koreans and foreigners, has opened its 40th offshore branch in Ukraine, the ministry said Friday.

Ukraine's Korean Education Center opened in the East European country's capital Kiev in a ceremony attended by education officials from both countries Friday, the ministry said.

This undated file photo shows a Korean language class under way at the Korean Education Center in Vladivostok, Russia. (Yonhap)

Besides Korean language classes, the center will be engaged in promoting Korean culture among locals, it noted.

South Korea opened the first Korean Education Center in Japan in 1963 and has since established 39 more branches in 18 countries across the world.

In Ukraine, ethnic Koreans, mostly descendants of Korean emigrants to the former Soviet Union, had long asked for the establishment of a Korean language institute in Kiev.

South Korea and Ukraine celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties this year.

In a related move, the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on expanding bilateral cooperation in the education fields and sending Korean language teachers to Ukraine's schools.

"The Korean Education Center is expected to help expand awareness of South Korea and the Korean language among the people of Ukraine," said a ministry official. (Yonhap)