The Korean government is establishing a North American-based ‘Korean Study Center’ in Los Angeles to attract international students as the number of international students from the United States studying in Korea has exceeded 3,000.
According to the Korean Education Center in Los Angeles, the LA Study in Korea Center will open with the opening ceremony at 10:30 a.m. on October 4.
The study abroad support center will be staffed by six employees from the Korean Ministry of Education. It will offer various information for students and parents who want to study in Korea.
The government chose Los Angeles as the site of the center to attract international students in North America as Korean pop culture has become popular in the U.S. in recent years, and the number of inquiries for Korean universities has increased. The fact that the next generation of the Korean American community in LA and more than 8,500 students in 80 schools in Southern California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are learning Korean is also an advantage in attracting international students.
“There is a high demand for students who have graduated from high school in the U.S. and want to go to Korean universities,” said Jeonhoon Kang, President of Korean Education Center in Los Angeles. ”We will actively work with the Korean-American community to attract international students and promote the excellence of Korean education.”
The enthusiasm of students for Korea is reflected in the statistics. According to the Korean Ministry of Education, there were 3,179 international students from the U.S. as of April (including university and language study).
This is the fourth-largest number of international students in Korea by nationality. That’s why the Korean government and universities are working to attract American students.
The Korean Education Center has been in place for the new support program for the first half of the year. It consists of an exhibition room for promoting studying in Korea, a study abroad counseling room, and a classroom. It also provides customized services such as one-on-one consultation with Korean universities for students and parents.
However, Korean Americans in the U.S. urged the Korean government to resolve preliminary issues, such as dual citizenship, before opening the study abroad center and attracting international students.
“I’m worried that sending my son to a Korean university will trigger Korean military duty,” said a parent who wished to remain anonymous. “Many Korean-American families have not registered the birth of their children in Korea, and preparing for Korean universities requires addressing the issue of nationality.”
Uncertainty about the competitiveness of Korean universities is also their concern. An official from the National Youth Community Center (NYCC), a Korean-American youth service organization, first premised that “Students who really like Korean culture, such as K-pop, dramas, and movies, might want to go to a Korean university,” adding “On the other hand, many U.S. universities are already ranked in the top 100 of the world’s university rankings, and many top universities already have exchange programs with Korean universities.” He said, “Many English-speaking students, including second-generation Korean American students studying in Korean universities, struggle with the Korean culture of academicism and hierarchy between seniors and juniors.”
Study in Korea Support Center will hold its first event, the 2024 Study in Korea College Fair, from October 5-6 (11 a.m.-8 p.m.) at The Source OC in Buena Park. Kyung Hee University, Korea University, Daegu Catholic University, Ewha Womans University, Pohang University of Science and Technology, Korea University of Media Arts, and Hanyang University will set up booths at the event to attract international students. At the same time, 23 universities will provide admission information through an online fair (studyinkorea.go.kr/ko/expomain.do).
Korean universities emphasize their high-quality educational environment, low tuition and living costs (average of $17,000 per year), degrees in Korean studies and Korean culture, and employability through experience in Korea and Korean language skills.
BY HYOUNGJAE KIM, HOONSIK WOO [kim.ian@koreadaily.com]
