Ministry of Education

The Ministry of Education (Minister Choi Kyo-jin) announced its “2026 Plan for the Development and Distribution of Korean Language Textbooks for Overseas Primary and Secondary Schools” on June 4.

According to the plan, a total of nine new types of educational materials will be developed in 2026, including one Korean language supplementary textbook utilizing BTS Korean Wave content, one smart digital textbooks for the beginner level 1, and seven localized textbooks tailored to specific countries such as India, the Philippines, and Vietnam. The planned distribution volume for Korean language textbooks this year is approximately 260,000 copies.

Recognizing the high interest and enthusiasm among overseas youth for Korean culture, the Ministry of Education has been developing and distributing BTS-themed Korean language supplementary textbooks since 2021, totaling eight volumes to date. This year, the Ministry will develop one integrated volume ? a compilation of core content from existing textbooks ? to enable more students to learn Korean through K-pop.

Furthermore, the K-drama Korean language supplementary textbook, which was developed last year, will also begin distribution this year. The K-drama supplementary textbook is designed to allow students to learn authentic Korean culture based on everyday aspects of Korean society depicted in local dramas.

The Ministry of Education announced plans to develop new “smart digital textbooks” this year, designed for students in overseas Korean language programs to access via their personal smartphones. While existing digital materials were primarily limited to viewing-focused functions optimized for computer environments ? restricting accessibility and data utilization ? these newly developed smart textbooks will feature AI-integrated learning support functions. The Ministry intends to utilize the accumulated learning data to inform future research on Korean language education around the world.