South Koreans Opt to Learn Chinese

[tonado]

Chinese may overtake English as Universal language in future.

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More Young South Koreans Opt to Learn Chinese

By Park Sung-woo | September 18, 2004

 

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korean teen-ager Lee Jun-ho hopes to talk himself into a job someday -- in Chinese.

 

Snubbing offers from two local universities in favor of a language institute in downtown Seoul, the 19-year-old studies Chinese seven hours a day in hopes of winning a place at a prestigious school in Shanghai or Beijing.

 

Lee has embraced a growing trend in South Korea, where more and more young people are opting to focus their foreign language skills on Chinese rather than English, the traditional lingua franca of the business world.

 

"I think China holds a better future for me, so I persuaded my parents to let me go there to study business," said Lee during a short break between classes at the Yiersan institute, whose name means "One, two, three" in Chinese.

 

The phenomenon mirrors South Korea's growing dependence on China's booming economy, which has replaced the United States as its main trading partner.

 

"Student numbers at language institutes specializing in Chinese have risen 10-fold over the last two years," said Chang Hyun-min, a manager at Yiersan's headquarters in Seoul.

 

"We are living in a world where it is virtually impossible to do anything without mentioning China."

 

More than 35,000 South Koreans are currently studying in China, making it the largest foreign student community there, and accounting for some 40 percent of the total, and the number is growing.

 

By contrast, the number of South Koreans traveling to the United States to improve their English or further their education has slowed.

 

Data from the U.S. Institute of International Education showed the number of South Koreans studying in the United States grew by 11 percent in 2001, but growth had slowed to 5 percent by last year.

 

"We've been receiving less enquiries about going to the United States for study in recent years," said Chris Cho, a manager at Chongro Overseas Educational Institute.

 

A sluggish domestic economy and tightened visa procedures following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks have discouraged students from choosing the United States, he said.

 

TRADING PLACES

 

Jang Hae-san, a 43-year-old businessman and father of two, hopes an education in China will help his kids beat South Korea's growing youth unemployment problem.

 

"Originally I had planned to send my children to the United States, but I changed my mind," said Jang, who packed his 17-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son off to schools in Beijing three years ago.

 

"Since my business gives me some contact with China, I came to realize almost every firm I had heard of was rushing there," said Jang, whose company supplies electronic parts to major Korean firms.

 

Trade between South Korea and China has grown nearly tenfold since diplomatic ties were established between the two Asian neighbors in 1992, the Korea International Trade Association said.

 

China has also overtaken the United States as South Korea's biggest export market and is now Seoul's biggest trading partner, a title America held for decades, the trade association said.

 

Major enterprises such as the SK and LG groups are at the forefront of South Korea's foray into China's massive market.

 

Top local mobile carrier SK Telecom has already set up a joint venture with China's number two carrier, China Unicom Ltd., while LG Chem plans to boost its Chinese-speaking staff to one-quarter of its workforce from 10 percent.

 

"Since language is the most basic method to understand the culture of a country, we reckon proficiency in Chinese is much needed to do business with China," said LG Chem spokesman Eric Han.

[oregonknl]

Thanks for the post Tony,

 

It raises many interesting cultural issues --- and also political --- since it mentions the slowing of interaction with the US post 9-11.

 

But over time, there are powerful political equalizers in force.. I do think China will continue to rise, but I predict Korea will have major political challenges sooner than the US. And of course, it will somehow involve N. Korea... Too often, I think, young S. Koreans think its no big deal... and have quickly forgotten the history of the last 50 years...

 

But having said that, yeah, I am doing everything I can to have me daughters be bi-lingual --- Mandarin and English --- not so much out of cultural "sensitivity" --- which is why many parents of adopted Chinese enroll their daughters in Mandarin classes ----

 

---- but so that at some time in the future of their business (or State) careers ---- while in Beijing..... they can eat the lunch of some blonde, blue eyed Park Ave. WASP from the Ivy League.....

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

I hope everyone who aspires to make any money in the world pays close attention.

 

A few years ago, my ex and I bought a house in Denver. We paid $82,500 for it. The next year it was appraised at $150,000. The Denver housing market exploded and we were in a position to take great advantage of it.

 

China is exploding financially, it's not about to, it is, and if you want to make some money, you'll do some kind of business with China.

 

Granted, the wave of economic growth they're experiencing may turn into a tidal wave they can't handle, but I'm betting that won't happen. I think the worst that could happen is an economy that slams on the breaks at some point and those who aren't prepared will go flying, but a "saavy" business person will see it coming.

 

Despite the sentiments of the Buchannan isolationists, I think the US is going to have to loosen up and open it's markets and borders much more so it can compete with China. The problem is the terrorists, they pose more than just a physical threat to our country, they pose an economic threat because they force us to be cautious in who we deal with and how we deal with them.

 

I wouldn't be suprised to find out that South Korea isn't the only country following the trend to deal with China more. Next thing you know, Japan will follow suit, OK, maybe not, but who knows? Something's got to give, in the meantime, invest in China.

[Orrin]

For the past 6 months I have been teaching English to Korean students over the Internet. All of my students (6) are either primary or middle school students, and ALL of them are studying Chinese as part of their regular school classes. For the primary school students, Chinese is a required course.