Students in South Korea are
actively studying the Kazakh language. The first courses on linguistics and
Kazakh studies at the Hankuk University of Foreign Studies were introduced back
in 2004. This year, the Central Asian Studies department marks its 20th
anniversary. Among the eager learners of the language of Abai are prospective
diplomats, interpreters, and employees of Kazakh-Korean ventures. Chu
Young-min, an Associate Professor at HUFS, was once a student at the department
herself. She rapidly acquired proficiency in the Kazakh language and now
teaches its grammar.
“One day, I came across an
article about Central Asia and Kazakhstan. I learned about many interesting
things that exist in Kazakhstan but not in Korea, and vice versa. It seemed to
me that our countries could become closer to each other. So, I made the
decision to start learning Kazakh to become another bridge between our
countries,” Chu Young-min said.
