Yongsan-gu Offers Special Hanja Level Preparation Program for Elementary Students

Special Nine-Session Course Begins Next Month
All Participants Passed the Certification Exam Last Year

Yongsan-gu in Seoul (District Mayor Park Heeyoung) will operate a special program called the "2025 Yongsan Seodang Hanja Level Preparation Class" for elementary school students in the district. The special lectures will be held a total of nine times, from September 13 to November 15.

Interior view of the education room. Provided by Yongsangu.

This course aims to help students obtain Hanja proficiency certification, but goes beyond simple test preparation by focusing on vocabulary learning using the Hanja characters required for each level in daily life. Classes are divided by target level into Level 5 and Level 3 groups, with 20 students each, for a total of 40 participants. Applications can be submitted online via the Yongsan-gu Education Portal starting on August 25.

Last year, all participants in the program passed the certification exam, achieving significant results. Yongsan-gu explained, "Through Hanja learning, students can improve not only their vocabulary and literacy skills, but also their critical thinking and self-expression abilities, which led to high satisfaction among both parents and students."

The classes will take place at Yongsan Seodang, located in Kkum Namu Complex Town (329 Baekbeom-ro). This traditional hanok-style educational space offers regular and special lectures each quarter and serves as a learning center where students learn classical Chinese and Hanja under the guidance of a master, experiencing the lives and wisdom of their ancestors. In the future, the facility plans to expand its use as a space for traditional cultural experiences and content production.

Park Heeyoung, Mayor of Yongsan-gu, stated, "Through this special program, I hope students will experience the joy and sense of achievement that comes with learning Hanja and develop the ability to use Hanja in their daily lives. We will continue to provide a variety of educational programs that all residents can participate in."

Meanwhile, Yongsan Seodang is expanding its educational offerings to adults as well as elementary students. This year, a variety of programs have been prepared, including Seodang experiences for parents and children, meditation lectures, and themed special lectures, to increase community participation and interest.