Korean Ambassador Visits EFLU

Hyderabad: A high-level Korean delegation led by the Korean Ambassador to India His Excellency, Mr Chang Jae-bok, visited the English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad, on Wednesday. Mr Suresh Chukkapalli, Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Hyderabad, Ms Kang Yeonsoo, 2nd secretary (political), accompanied HE, Mr Chang Jae-bok. Mrs Gu Jung-hyun, the spouse of the Ambassador, also accompanied the delegation.

During the interaction with Prof. E. Suresh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor, EFLU, and Member, UGC, the Ambassador, who visited the university for the first time, appreciated the efforts made to promote not only the teaching and learning of the Korean language but also the efforts made by the university to promote cultural ties between the two countries through various cultural and academic programmes. The Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea, Mr Suresh Chukkapalli, announced gold medals and scholarships for students who top the semester in B.A. (Hons.) Korean. The delegation was informed about the various short-term courses, such as the Certificate of Proficiency, Diploma of Proficiency, and Advanced Diploma in Korean that the university offers, apart from the undergraduate course, which was introduced in the academic year 2021-22.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Chang Jae-bok stated that the EFLU is the frontrunner in promoting the Korean language and culture in the country. He said that there would be many more cultural events and people-to-people exchanges between Korea and India to further strengthen the bond between the two countries and added that the EFLU would be a key partner in deepening the relations.

The Korean Ambassador extended an invitation to Prof. E. Suresh Kumar, Vice-Chancellor and Member, UGC, New Delhi, to visit Korea and explore the opportunities for further collaboration between the EFLU and Korean universities.

Addressing the meeting, Prof. Suresh Kumar assured the Ambassador and the high-level delegation that the EFLU would positively consider their request to offer PG and PhD programmes in Korean soon. He expressed gratitude to the Ambassador for providing gold medals and scholarships to students pursuing BA programmes in Korean."There will be a lot of employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for those who learn the Korean language as relations between the two countries are constantly being expanded and strengthened," he added.

Honorary Consul General of the Republic of Korea in Hyderabad Mr Suresh Chukkapalli suggested that the university offer short-term certificate programmes in Korean to offer an opportunity for those young people who are interested in K-pop and K-drama to study and understand the Korean language. He highlighted the role being played by the EFLU in supporting and promoting the Korean language and culture by offering different programmes and also for emerging as the hub of Korean language learning in the country.