ABSTRACT
The Republic of Korea, or South Korea (henceforth, Korea) is increasingly considered by the international community to be a destination for work, study, and living. Correspondingly, Korean as a second language (Korean L2) education is expanding and developing to meet the linguistic needs of immigrants, heritage learners, and international students. However, current research available in English reveals little about how Korean L2 education is organized and about who is studying Korean L2 and for what purposes. This chapter aims to (1) provide an overview of unique features of the language that Korean L2 learners must master; (2) describe current Korean L2 learners; (3) investigate current trends and practices in Korean L2 education in Korea through an examination of language-learning provision, materials, and assessment; and (4) explore learners’ perspectives about their Korean L2 learning experience and discuss these issues in light of research. This will further the understanding of the international community about language learning and the teaching of languages other than English and contribute to language education materials development and pedagogical practices.
