The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of South Korea and the King Sejong Foundation announced this week the future opening of a headquarters in Cuba of the King Sejong Instituteto promote the language and culture of that Asian nation, with which Havana has just established diplomatic relations.
According to the South Korean media Korea Herald, Cuba’s will be one of the 18 new institutions of this nature that must be inaugurated in 15 countries around the world during 2025which responds to the high demand for learning Korean.
According to the report, with the new additions, Korean language and culture classes will now be offered at 256 locations in 88 countries around the world.
Cuba, whose government established diplomatic relations with South Korea last February, despite Havana’s close alignment with Pyongyang, with whom Seoul has a historical conflict, is expected to witness several cultural and human exchanges after the opening of the first King Sejong Institute in Havana.
The report does not specify what date the inauguration would be effective.
In 2024, 97 institutions from 40 countries applied to be selected to host the King Sejong Institutes. The Institute’s Nomination Review Committee, comprised of experts in Korean language education and international cultural exchange, reviewed the applications over a four-month period.
Nepal, a country with a growing demand for learning Korean due to the Employment Permit System that makes it easier for its citizens to work in South Korea, did not have sufficient conditions for the creation of an institute on its territory, but the process has already been approved, he indicated. the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Seoul.
In addition to Nepal and Cuba, the official entity and the Foundation decided to add a new institute in Saudi Arabia, India, China, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Sweden, Italy, Croatia, Poland and Austria, and two in Uzbekistan, the Philippines and Germany.
The first King Sejong Institute was established in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia, in 2007. At first there were only 13 locations in three countries, with an annual enrollment of 740 students.
In 2023, there were 216,226 students enrolled in Korean through online and in-person classes at King Sejong Institutes around the world, representing an increase of 20.8% from 2022.
The 18 newly designated King Sejong Institutes will carry out pilot operations for six months, before beginning official activities in 2025.
The King Sejong Institute is a foundation established by the Government of South Korea to promote the learning of the Korean language worldwide. Its name refers to King Sejong, the creator of the Korean alphabet.
The popularity of South Korean culture transcends borders thanks to current manifestations, such as K-pop and cinemawhose industries are expanding and leaving their mark, despite political distancing, even in Cuba.
In the middle of this month, Carlos Miguel Pereira, director of the General Division of Bilateral Affairs of the Cuban Foreign Ministry, was in Seoul, on the first high-level visit to South Korea by a representative of the Cuban regime.
Although the official was going to seek investments, this did not materialize. However, during the bilateral meetings, progress was confirmed on plans to establish permanent diplomatic missions in the capitals of both countries, an agreement that was reached for the first time at the end of April.
South Korea plans to open a temporary office in Havana this year to accelerate the opening of its Embassywhile a Cuban diplomatic team that began its activities in South Korea last May is working on the necessary procedures to open the Cuban Embassy in Seoul as soon as possible.
