The News>Gyeongsangbuk-do Government

내용: Foreign Residents Are Gyeongbuk Citizens, Too! — Province Launches Tailored Korean Language Education to Support Settlement

- Language barriers top the list of daily challenges for foreign residents in the province, erscoring the need for Korean language and Gyeongbuk Regional Studies education -
- Gyeongbuk strengthens its specialized Korean language education in alignment with the Ministry of Justices 2030 Immigration Policy Future Strategy -

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is working to strengthen Korean language proficiency among foreign residents and support their stable integration into local communities through the Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center and targeted Korean language education for regionally specialized skilled workers.

According to a 2025 study on foreign resident settlement support in Gyeongbuk by the Social Integration Research Institute at the Daegu Catholic University, while 86% of respondents expressed overall satisfaction with life in the province, language barriers ranked as the most significant daily challenge, reported by 30%.

In line with the Ministry of Justices recently released 2030 Immigration Policy Future Strategy — which outlines plans to strengthen Korean language education for long-term foreign residents, develop specialized programs for overseas Koreans, expand social integration programs for the families of E-7-4 skilled workers, and scale up AI-d remote learning — Gyeongsangbuk-do Province is launching new initiatives, including the operation of the Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center and support for regional specialized skilled workers (E-7-4R) in obtaining Korean language qualifications.

■ Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center: Strengthening Adaptability and Preventing Social Conflict Among Foreign Residents

In operation since 2024, the Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center offers Korean language training, Gyeongbuk Regional Studies education and hands-on experiences, and social integration and life-adaptation programs to foreign residents, including international students, workers, overseas Koreans, and accompanying family members.

Starting this year, the core Korean language curriculum will be delivered in both in-person and online ats to improve accessibility. Classes will be organized by proficiency level following a placement test, with each class assigned a dedicated lead instructor for personalized instruction. A mandatory orientation track will also be introduced for Gyeongbuk Government Korean Scholarship (K-GKS) recipients, who will be required to complete Korean language and Gyeongbuk Regional Studies courses upon arrival in the province.

■ Securing Regional Talent Through Korean Language Qualification Support for Regional Specialized Skilled Workers (E-7-4R)

□ What is a Regional Specialized Skilled Worker (E-7-4R)? ※ 539 workers in Gyeongbuk as of 2025
◦ Skilled workers residing in population-declining (at-risk) areas, subject to a minimum of three years of local residency and employment

The regional specialized skilled worker designation was introduced to address workforce shortages in population-declining areas. As a mandatory condition for visa extension and conversion, holders must achieve TOPIK Level 2 or above.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province has become the first jurisdiction in the country to offer a Korean language qualification program tailored specifically to the regional specialized visa category, establishing a long-term retention work to help skilled foreign workers and their accompanying families put down roots in the province. Initiatives include building a province-wide hub-d education network, delivering both in-person and online instruction, and providing proficiency-d academic support.

Both the Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center and the E-7-4R Korean language qualification program will run from March through December of this year, with all day-to-day operations managed by the K-Dream Foreign Residents Support Center.

Gyeongsangbuk-do Province expects these Korean language education initiatives to lay the growork for foreign residents to become stable, contributing members of their communities, while also helping to address workforce shortages across the provinces industrial sector.

“Language is the single most important factor in enabling foreign residents to build a stable life in the community,” said Sangsoo Lee, Director General of the Regional Era Policy Bureau. “We will continue to expand our tailored Korean language education programs to create a community where foreign residents and the region can grow together.”
■ Gyeongbuk Global Learning Center Delivers Korean Language Training, Gyeongbuk Regional Studies Education and Experiences, and Social Integration and Life-Adaptation Programs
■ Korean Language Qualification Support for Regional Specialized Skilled Workers (E-7-4R)

Search area

Sub-util area

Sub-menu area

Body area

The News

Gyeongbuk Province Launches Tailored Korean Language Education Program 상세내용