![A scene from the '2025 Hangeul International Pre-Biennale' at the Jochiwon 1927 Art Center in Sejong City in September 2025. [Photo by Yoo Dae-gil]](https://image.ajunews.com/content/image/2026/06/30/20260630090556993673.jpg)
The additions will bring the number of the institute's branches to 273 in some 89 countries, offering Korean language and culture amid growing interest among foreigners in learning Korean following a recent Korean pop-culture boom.
As of last year, a total of 239,020 people studied Korean online or in person through the institute, which is responsible for spreading the Korean language and culture overseas.
The 29 new branches, set to open this year, were selected through document screening, on-site inspections, and a final review after applications were received from 102 institutions in 45 countries, with the first King Sejong Institutes to be established in Greece, Rwanda, and Sri Lanka.
Among them, 19 will be operated in partnership with 19 South Korean universities and other educational institutions including Seoul National University, which the ministry believes will help attract talented students from abroad and strengthen universities' international competitiveness.
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