The enthusiasm for early Korean language education is growing rapidly in elementary schools across Hai Phong, a northern city in Vietnam. Following the Vietnamese Ministry of Education's official recognition of Korean as a first foreign language in 2021, Nguyen Van To Elementary School became the first in Hai Phong to adopt Korean as its primary foreign language and has since been offering structured and engaging Korean language classes.

  In addition to formal lessons, the school also runs Korean language clubs and cultural camps, enabling students to naturally engage with the Korean language and culture. When asked why they began learning Korean, students enthusiastically shared their reasons, such as “because Naengmyeon is so delicious” or “I was touched by Korean dramas,” expressing genuine passion for the language.

  This early education initiative has been made possible in large part thanks to the strong support of Korean businesses operating locally. K&P Vietnam, upon the recommendation of the Hai Phong Economic Committee, established a close partnership with Nguyen Van To Elementary School. The company has continuously supported the school by donating educational equipment and organizing exchange programs that invite both students and teachers to Korea. Principal Nguyen Thi Tham stated, “Implementing Korean as the first foreign language has brought many positive changes to our school. Students are showing more interest in other cultures and are growing into more open-minded global citizens.” She added, “We are especially grateful to K&P for their generous support, and also to the Korean Education Center in Hanoi and the native-speaking Korean teachers for their contributions to our program.”

  Currently, four elementary and middle schools in Hai Phong have adopted Korean as their first foreign language, reinforcing the city's status as a central hub for Korean language education in Vietnam. According to local instructors, students are not only motivated by interest in Korean culture but are also beginning to consider Korean as a valuable skill for their future academic or career goals.

  The Korean Education Center in Hanoi plans to further expand its support to match this growing demand. Director Kim Hyun-dong commented, “We aim to strengthen the foundation for human exchange between Korea and Vietnam through various programs such as Korean speech contests and language camps.”

Source: Financial News, “Immersed in Korean – Early Korean Language Boom in Vietnam,” June 15, 2025.

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