Korean proficiency test to expand to more countries

Online test to become available in 13 countries in 2025

Seventy foreign students in a beginner Korean class participate in the Dictation Golden Bell at the gymnasium of Keimyung University in Daegu on Tuesday, a day ahead of Hangeul Day. (Yonhap)

The Ministry of Education on Thursday announced plans to double the number of internet-based sessions for the Test of Proficiency in Korean next year.

Starting in 2025, 15 TOPIK sessions will be held annually. The new schedule will include six internet-based tests and six paper-based tests focusing on the listening, reading and writing sections, while the speaking section will be administered through three additional internet-based tests. This marks a significant increase in the frequency of internet-based tests, from three sessions per year to six.

The number of countries offering internet-based tests will also grow substantially, from six this year to 13 in 2025. New participating nations and territories include Romania, Malaysia, Guam, Vietnam, Thailand, Paraguay and Pakistan, which will join South Korea, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines.

First launched in 1997, TOPIK is a widely recognized assessment of Korean language proficiency for overseas Koreans and foreign nationals. It serves as a key metric for studying at Korean universities, finding employment in the country, participating in government scholarship programs and fulfilling credit and graduation requirements for Korean language-related majors at overseas institutions.

“In response to the growing demand for the Korean language proficiency test, we will increase the number of countries and testing sessions, ensuring that the internet-based test is implemented stably,” said Park Sung-min, head of the Ministry of Education's Planning and Coordination Office.

Park further highlighted plans to develop a digital platform incorporating artificial intelligence technology, aiming to make Korean language assessment accessible at any time and place.

The expansion reflects the growing global fascination with Korean culture, fueled by the popularity of K-pop, Korean TV series and Korean cinema. As interest in the language continues to climb, the number of test-takers has increased in kind, with over 428,000 applying for the Korean language proficiency test this year -- a 71.3 percent increase from 2016.

By Choi Jeong-yoon(jychoi@heraldcorp.com)