earticle

영어

This study examines the development of Korean language education in Sri Lanka from secondary to tertiary levels and identifies key institutional challenges. Korean has recently been introduced as a high school subject and added to the university entrance examination, yet systematic academic research remains limited in the local educational context. Using document analysis and field-based inquiry, the study investigates the expansion and implementation of Korean language programs. Data come from statistics by the National Institute of Education, a survey of 123 secondary school teachers, and interviews with university instructors. The analysis covers curricula at the secondary and upper-secondary levels as well as programs in five universities that offer Korean courses. Findings show persistent structural issues, including insufficiently qualified and understaffed teachers, curriculum inconsistencies, limited instructional materials, and a lack of specialized institutions and research infrastructure. The study proposes a teacher-qualification framework, mentoring-based training, localized textbooks, and the expansion of university-level Korean majors.