A Study On The Chinese Language Education Today In South Korea

The Republic of Korea-hereinafter, South Korea-has a rich history and a deep-rootedtradition upon Chinese language education. Various kinds of Modern Chinese language textbooks, academic reports and dictionaries has been published in South Korea are stronglyrecognized as substantial resources that have high value not only in both China and SouthKorea, but all over the world. Also, it shows that Korean forerunners and trailblazers in thefield of linguistic research and study have reached an astonishing achievement throughoutthese previous materials with significant and remarkable results. Unfortunately, however,the legacy of Chinese Language Education was seized under the colonial administration ofimperial Japan in the20th century. Moreover, after the liberation on South Korea, it wastreated poorly as much as Chinese language was considered as so-called “special foreigntongue” because of political and diplomatic issues, ideological confrontations and heracademic atmosphere giving undue value to only English. After South Korea establisheddiplomatic relations with China in1992, Chinese Language Education had a new era to beimproved. The number of students who study Chinese is extremely increasing these days.Chinese learning trend is getting more prevailed day by day so that Chinese class has the mostpreference of the learners among the second languages, except English.It was in their own country than in China that most of the foreign students who come from SouthKorea studied Chinese the first time.. I myself started learning Chinese since I was in senior highschool, then I went to China for study. It has been3years since then. While I thought of thisperiod of experience, I have a deep feeling for that. Meanwhile, I turned out to think deeply ofChinese language education today in South Korea. Therefore I have a strong desire forstudying Chinese language education in South Korea today and put forward my suggestions ifpossible. I also wish to discuss or exchange some ideas with the people who care about it.