Jeonnam National University Operates U.S. Department of State Korean Language Program for 11 Consecutive Years

Photo of Jeonnam National University campus.

Jeonnam National University announced on June 2 that its Language Education Institute will operate the U.S. Department of State's "Critical Language Scholarship (CLS, Strategic Language Scholarship Program)" Korean language education program for the 11th consecutive year.

The CLS program is a prestigious scholarship initiative that provides short-term intensive language education in 12 languages of strategic importance designated by the U.S. Department of State to American undergraduate and graduate students in the respective countries. Jeonnam National University has been selected as a Korean language education partner institution since 2015 and has successfully run the program every year. This year, the university plans to offer both the in-person CLS Korean language program and the online-based "CLS Spark" program simultaneously, providing more students with opportunities to learn Korean.

This year, 25 scholarship recipients, selected through fierce competition from across the United States, will participate in the CLS Korean language program. Starting with orientation on June 18, they will receive approximately 130 hours of intensive Korean language instruction over about eight weeks until August 13. In addition to language classes, the students will experience Korean culture firsthand through cultural classes such as K-pop dance and calligraphy, as well as various field trips in the Gwangju area.

The online CLS Spark Korean language course consists of approximately 80 hours of instruction, a language partner program, and cultural activities. This will provide a valuable opportunity for students who wish to learn Korean language and culture without the limitations of distance. In addition, as part of the CLS program, the Language Education Institute at Jeonnam National University plans to connect Jeonnam National University students with American students as "language partners" and "roommates" to maximize learning outcomes. The CLS Korean language program will also serve as a valuable opportunity for Jeonnam National University students to develop global communication skills and multicultural sensitivity.

Baek Seungjoo, Director of the Language Education Institute at Jeonnam National University, emphasized, "Among the 22 institutions worldwide, Jeonnam National University Language Education Institute is the only one operating both the in-person CLS program and the online program with support from the U.S. Department of State. This is evidence that Jeonnam National University's Korean language education capabilities are internationally recognized and trusted."