[INTERVIEW] Expanding horizon of Korean language education in US

Soojin Cho, a Korean language educator in Pennsylvania, has spent nearly three decades expanding Korean language education in the United States and received the Cultural Merit Medal in Seoul on Oct. 9. As president of the National Association for Korean Schools’ Mid-Atlantic Chapter from 2022 to 2026, she helped lead a network of 28 schools across three states. Cho says Korean education helps young Korean Americans understand their roots and can connect people across cultures. She also sees growing interest among learners from diverse backgrounds as evidence of Korean’s expanding role in global communication.

The Mid-Atlantic Chapter brings together approximately 200 teachers and more than 1,000 students in Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey.

Annual applicants for the Test of Proficiency in Korean rose from around 223,000 in 2021 to more than 421,000 in 2025, according to the National Institute for International Education.

In 2024, 1,405 Korean heritage schools worldwide served 94,115 students and had 14,259 educators.

North America accounted for 692 of those schools and 45,445 students.

Cho said shortages of qualified teachers and financial support were among the greatest challenges facing Korean schools.

Published Nov 1, 2026 7:00 am KST

Veteran educator recognized for fueling Hangeul craze across America

Soojin Cho, director and principal of HanGook Heritage Education Academy in Pennsylvania and former president of the National Association for Korean Schools, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, poses in front of the statue of King Sejong at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Oct. 16. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

This is the last in a four-part series on people and companies that connect Korea and the world, as special coverage marking The Korea Times' 76th anniversary.

Driven by the global rise of K-pop and K-dramas, interest in learning the Korean language, including Hangeul or the Korean alphabet, has exploded across the United States in recent years.

This growing enthusiasm has reached far beyond the Korean American community to include non-native speakers, adoptees and multicultural families.

Standing at the center of this trend is Soojin Cho, a veteran educator who has spent nearly three decades teaching Hangeul to younger generations and expanding Korean language education in America.

In recognition of her lifelong dedication, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism awarded Cho the Cultural Merit Medal during the 580th Hangeul Day national celebration in Seoul, Oct. 9. The Korean government commended her for developing vital Korean language curricula for students overseas and leading regional education networks.

Receiving one of the highest honors for Hangeul advancement was a deeply rewarding moment for Cho, who served as the 12th and 13th president of the National Association for Korean Schools, Mid-Atlantic Chapter from 2022 to 2026.

Under her leadership, the chapter has grown to represent 28 affiliated Korean schools across Pennsylvania, Delaware and southern New Jersey, bringing together approximately 200 teachers and more than 1,000 students.

Looking back on her journey since immigrating to the U.S. in 1985, Cho, who also serves as director and principal of HanGook Heritage Education Academy in Pennsylvania, expressed deep gratitude for the national recognition and the dramatic shift in how Korean language education is embraced today.

"Students from diverse backgrounds, including Korean Americans, non-Korean Americans, Korean adoptees and multicultural families, have shown increasing interest in learning the Korean language and exploring Korean culture," Cho told The Korea Times during an interview in Seoul, Oct. 16.

She added that watching non-native speakers embrace the language during public events has brought her immense professional fulfillment.

"Watching participants confidently express their thoughts in Korean after preparing and practicing so diligently gave me a tremendous sense of pride and fulfillment as a Korean language educator," Cho said.

"I believe that Korean is now becoming much more than just a foreign language. It is a meaningful bridge that connects people from different cultures and backgrounds, fostering greater understanding, communication and cultural appreciation."

Soojin Cho, director and principal of HanGook Heritage Education Academy in Pennsylvania and former president of the National Association for Korean Schools, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, poses with the Cultural Merit Medal awarded by the government during the 580th Hangeul Day celebration at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Seoul, Oct. 9. Courtesy of Soojin Cho

According to the National Institute for International Education, the number of applicants for the Test of Proficiency in Korean, widely known as TOPIK, has shown a steady upward trend since its introduction in 1997. Official data shows that annual applicants surged from around 223,000 in 2021 to over 421,000 in 2025, reflecting the rapidly growing global demand for Korean language proficiency.

Additional data further illustrates this worldwide educational expansion. In 2024, a total of 1,405 Korean heritage schools operated across the globe, bringing together 94,115 students and 14,259 educators. North America served as a major pillar within this global network, accounting for 692 schools and 45,445 students to support community learning.

Hangeul as anchor for cultural roots

While the rise of K-culture has energized classrooms today, Cho said the ultimate reward throughout her 28-year career has always been watching second- and third-generation Korean Americans discover their roots.

"The most rewarding moments were seeing students grow as they learned the Korean language and culture, and watching them develop a sense of pride in their Korean heritage and identity," Cho said.

"On the other hand, the greatest challenges were the shortage of qualified teachers and the lack of financial support needed to operate Korean schools. Despite these difficulties, the joy of witnessing my students' growth and achievements has always been the driving force that helped me overcome those challenges."

She emphasized that learning Hangeul in an overseas environment serves as an essential anchor for young Korean Americans navigating their identities.

"I believe that for second- and third-generation Korean American youth growing up in the United States, learning the Korean language goes far beyond simply acquiring language skills," Cho said. "It is an important journey of understanding their roots and developing a strong sense of Korean identity."

Soojin Cho, front row sixth from left, director and principal of HanGook Heritage Education Academy in Pennsylvania and former president of the National Association for Korean Schools, Mid-Atlantic Chapter, poses with students, teachers and parents attending the Hangeul Day celebration at Peace Valley Park in Doylestown, Pa., Oct. 11, 2025. Courtesy of Soojin Cho

She added that passing down the language allows younger generations to walk proudly in American society while holding onto their cultural heritage.

"By learning not only the Korean language but also Korean history and culture, students can develop pride in their heritage and grow into confident and proud Korean Americans who make meaningful contributions to American society," Cho said. "I believe this is one of the most important roles of Korean language education."

Cho recalled how watching her own children make the effort to speak Korean with their grandmother in the U.S. reinforced her belief in the power of preserving one's native tongue across borders and generations.

"Another meaningful experience was watching my children make an effort to communicate with their grandmother in Korean," Cho said. "It helped me realize that the Korean language is much more than a means of communication. It is a precious bridge that connects families and generations while preserving our cultural roots and identity."

Cho sees the award as a shared honor with the many teachers, association officers and parents who worked alongside her in weekend heritage schools.

"Over the past 28 years, I have had countless rewarding experiences and moments of gratitude while serving as a Korean school teacher, vice principal, principal, regional association officer and president," she recalled.

"I believe these honors would not have been possible without the dedication and collaboration of my fellow teachers, association officers and parents. I am deeply grateful to share these honors with all of them, and I remain committed to educating future generations in the Korean language and promoting Korean culture."

Soojin Cho poses at Gwanghwamun Square in central Seoul, Oct. 16, in front of a media display presented by the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, featuring King Sejong and the Statue of Liberty. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul

Spreading Hangeul beyond US

Her devotion to expanding Hangeul education now extends far beyond North America.

Following her award ceremony in Seoul, Cho traveled to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, to deliver a special lecture and workshop for university students studying Korean. There, she emphasized to them that mastering the language can unlock career pathways and foster international exchange.

"I was deeply impressed by the active participation and passion for learning Korean among the Vietnamese students," Cho said. "I realized once again that Korean language goes far beyond preserving heritage identity for future generations of Korean Americans, serving as a vital language for global communication and future opportunity."

Summing up her life as an immigrant educator through three guiding principles, Cho views her work as a continuing mission for future generations.

"If I were to describe my life as a Korean immigrant and educator in three words, they would be proud, dedicated and purpose-driven," Cho said, reflecting on her core philosophy. "I believe that preserving and passing on the Korean language and culture abroad is a modern-day form of the Korean independence movement, a meaningful mission to protect our cultural heritage and identity for future generations."

Cho also offered a message of encouragement to students, educators and communities upholding the language around the world.

“Today, the Korean language continues to reach beyond borders, becoming a source of pride and a meaningful bridge connecting people and cultures around the world. I sincerely hope that everyone who loves and learns Korean will continue this journey with pride, passion and confidence,” she said.

宾夕法尼亚州的韩语教育家赵秀珍(Soojin Cho)在美国从事韩语教育近三十年，并于10月9日在首尔荣获文化功勋奖章。2022年至2026年，她担任全美韩国学校协会中大西洋分会主席，领导着一个横跨三个州的28所学校组成的网络。赵秀珍表示，韩语教育有助于年轻的韩裔美国人了解他们的文化根源，并能促进不同文化背景的人们之间的交流。她还认为，来自不同背景的学习者对韩语日益增长的兴趣，正是韩语在全球交流中扮演着越来越重要的角色的体现。

中大西洋分会汇集了宾夕法尼亚州、特拉华州和新泽西州南部约 200 名教师和 1000 多名学生。

据韩国国立国际教育研究院统计，韩国语能力考试的年度申请人数从 2021 年的约 22.3 万人增加到 2025 年的超过 42.1 万人。

2024 年，全球共有 1405 所韩国传统学校，为 94115 名学生提供服务，拥有 14259 名教育工作者。

其中北美地区有 692 所学校，45445 名学生。

Cho表示，合格教师短缺和财政支持不足是韩国学校面临的最大挑战之一。

发布于2026年11月1日 上午7:00（韩国标准时间）

资深教育家因在美国掀起韩文热潮而受到表彰

10月16日，宾夕法尼亚州韩国文化遗产教育学院院长兼校长、前全美韩国学校协会中大西洋分会会长赵秀珍（Soojin Cho）在首尔市中心光化门广场世宗大王雕像前留影。（韩国时报 沈贤哲摄）

这是《韩国时报》为庆祝创刊 76 周年而推出的四篇系列报道的最后一篇，该系列报道聚焦连接韩国与世界的人物和公司。

受韩流音乐和韩剧在全球兴起的推动，近年来，美国各地对学习韩语（包括韩文或韩语字母）的兴趣呈爆炸式增长。

这股日益高涨的热情已经远远超出了韩裔美国人社区，扩展到了非母语人士、被收养者和多元文化家庭。

这一趋势的核心人物是 Soojin Cho，一位资深教育家，她近三十年来一直致力于向年轻一代教授韩文，并在美国推广韩语教育。

为表彰她毕生的奉献，韩国文化体育观光部于10月9日在首尔举行的第580届韩文日庆祝活动上，授予赵女士文化功勋奖章。韩国政府赞扬她为海外学生开发了重要的韩语课程，并领导了区域教育网络。

获得韩文进步的最高荣誉之一，对赵来说是一个意义非凡的时刻。赵曾在 2022 年至 2026 年担任美国韩国学校协会中大西洋分会第 12 任和第 13 任会长。

在她的领导下，该分会发展壮大，代表了宾夕法尼亚州、特拉华州和新泽西州南部 28 所附属韩国学校，汇集了约 200 名教师和 1000 多名学生。

回顾自 1985 年移民美国以来的历程，同时也是宾夕法尼亚州韩国传统教育学院院长兼校长的赵女士，对国家认可和如今韩语教育方式的巨大转变深表感激。

“来自不同背景的学生，包括韩裔美国人、非韩裔美国人、韩国收养儿童和多元文化家庭的学生，都对学习韩语和探索韩国文化表现出越来越浓厚的兴趣，”赵在10月16日于首尔接受《韩国时报》采访时表示。

她补充说，看到非母语人士在公共场合使用英语，给她带来了巨大的职业满足感。

“看到学员们经过认真准备和练习后，能够自信地用韩语表达自己的想法，作为一名韩语教育工作者，我感到无比自豪和满足，”赵说。

“我认为韩语现在远不止是一门外语。它是一座意义非凡的桥梁，连接着来自不同文化和背景的人们，促进了彼此间的理解、沟通和文化欣赏。”

宾夕法尼亚州韩国文化遗产教育学院院长兼校长、前全美韩国学校协会中大西洋分会会长赵秀珍（Soojin Cho）于10月9日在首尔世宗文化会馆举行的第580届韩文日庆祝活动上，手持政府颁发的文化功勋奖章合影。照片由赵秀珍提供。

据韩国国立国际教育研究院称，自1997年推出以来，韩国语能力考试（简称TOPIK）的报考人数一直呈稳步上升趋势。官方数据显示，年度报考人数从2021年的约22.3万人激增至2025年的超过42.1万人，反映出全球对韩语能力的需求正在迅速增长。

更多数据进一步印证了这一全球教育扩张趋势。截至2024年，全球共有1405所韩裔学校，汇聚了94115名学生和14259名教师。北美是这一全球网络的重要支柱，拥有692所学校和45445名学生，共同支持社区学习。

韩文是文化根基的锚

虽然韩流文化的兴起给今天的课堂带来了活力，但赵女士表示，在她28年的职业生涯中，最大的回报始终是看到第二代和第三代韩裔美国人发现他们的根源。

“最令人欣慰的时刻是看到学生们在学习韩国语言和文化的过程中不断成长，并看着他们对自己的韩国传统和身份产生自豪感，”赵说。

“另一方面，最大的挑战是合格教师短缺和缺乏运营韩国学校所需的资金支持。尽管面临这些困难，但见证学生的成长和成就所带来的喜悦始终是我克服这些挑战的动力。”

她强调，在海外环境中学习韩文对于正在探索自身身份的年轻韩裔美国人来说，是一个重要的精神支柱。

“我认为，对于在美国长大的第二代和第三代韩裔美国青年来说，学习韩语远不止是掌握语言技能，”赵说。“这是一段了解自身根源、培养强烈韩国身份认同感的重要旅程。”

2025年10月11日，在宾夕法尼亚州多伊尔斯敦和平谷公园举行的韩文日庆祝活动上，宾夕法尼亚州韩国文化教育学院院长兼校长、前全美韩语学校协会中大西洋分会主席赵秀珍（Soojin Cho，前排左六）与学生、教师和家长合影。照片由赵秀珍提供。

她补充说，传承语言可以让年轻一代在美国社会中自豪地行走，同时又能保留他们的文化遗产。

“通过学习韩语、韩国历史和文化，学生不仅可以培养对自身文化传承的自豪感，还能成长为自信、自豪的韩裔美国人，为美国社会做出有意义的贡献，”赵教授说。“我认为这是韩语教育最重要的作用之一。”

Cho回忆起，看着自己的孩子努力用韩语与在美国的祖母交流，这更加坚定了她对跨越国界和世代保护母语的力量的信念。

“另一个让我印象深刻的经历是，看到我的孩子们努力用韩语和他们的祖母交流，”赵女士说。“这让我意识到，韩语不仅仅是一种交流工具，它更是一座珍贵的桥梁，连接着家庭和世代，同时又维系着我们的文化根基和身份认同。”

Cho 认为这项荣誉是与她一起在周末传统学校工作的众多教师、协会官员和家长共同获得的。

“在过去的 28 年里，我担任过韩国学校教师、副校长、校长、地区协会官员和主席，期间我经历了无数有意义的事情，也充满了感激之情，”她回忆道。

“我相信，如果没有各位老师、协会成员和家长们的奉献和合作，这些荣誉是不可能获得的。我非常感激能与他们分享这些荣誉，我将继续致力于韩语教育和韩国文化的推广。”

10月16日，赵秀珍在首尔市中心光化门广场，站在美国驻首尔大使馆设立的媒体展示牌前拍照留念。该展示牌以世宗大王和自由女神像为主题。（韩国时报 沈贤哲 摄）

将韩文传播到美国以外

她致力于推广韩文教育的热情如今已远远超出北美。

在首尔的颁奖典礼结束后，赵女士前往越南胡志明市，为学习韩语的大学生举办了一场特别讲座和研讨会。在那里，她向学生们强调，掌握韩语能够为职业发展开辟道路，并促进国际交流。

“越南学生积极参与学习韩语的热情给我留下了深刻的印象，”赵说。“我再次意识到，韩语的意义远不止于为韩裔美国人的后代传承文化身份，它更是全球交流和未来发展的重要语言。”

Cho 将自己作为一名移民教育家的生活总结为三个指导原则，并将自己的工作视为对后代的持续使命。

“如果用三个词来形容我作为一名韩国移民和教育工作者的生活，那就是自豪、奉献和目标明确，”赵女士在反思她的核心理念时说道。“我相信，在海外保护和传承韩国语言和文化，是现代韩国独立运动的一种形式，也是一项意义非凡的使命，旨在为子孙后代保护我们的文化遗产和身份认同。”

赵也向世界各地致力于维护该语言的学生、教育工作者和社区表达了鼓励。

“如今，韩语继续超越国界，成为人们的骄傲，也是连接世界各地人民和文化的重要桥梁。我衷心希望所有热爱和学习韩语的人都能满怀自豪、热情和自信地继续这段旅程。”她说道。