SEOUL — Language and culture are factors of “soft power” that help deepen understanding and connection between Việt Nam and the Republic of Korea (RoK), according to Professor Lee Jai Hee, President of the International Graduate School of Language Education (IGSE) in Seoul.

Speaking to Vietnam News Agency correspondents ahead of the state visit by General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Tô Lâm to the RoK from August 10 to 13, Lee noted that since 2020, IGSE had pioneered the training of professional Korean – Vietnamese interpreters and translators, aiming to develop top-quality human resources to serve as a cultural and linguistic bridge for bilateral cooperation.

IGSE’s curriculum focuses on three core skills – language fluency, cultural and social understanding, and professional translation techniques. From 2026, it plans to launch a Korean – Vietnamese business administration programme to train interpreters with corporate management knowledge, meeting the needs of Korean firms operating in Việt Nam and beyond.

Currently, around 100 Vietnamese students are pursuing postgraduate studies at IGSE, including 20 PhD candidates. The school also offers various scholarships, including special awards for outstanding students.

In a bid to expand cooperation with Việt Nam, IGSE has signed memoranda of understanding with eight Vietnamese universities. These agreements cover joint training models such as “1+1” programmes, dual-degree options, and curriculum transfers. The school hopes to replicate its successful partnership model with universities of Uzbekistan in Việt Nam.

On the RoK's language education policy, the Vietnamese language is now officially taught at four high schools and is one of eight optional second foreign languages in the national university entrance exam. This, the professor said, reflected both the rapid growth of the Vietnamese community in the RoK and the increasing interest among Koreans in learning more about Việt Nam.

Lee expressed his confidence that Party General Secretary Tô Lâm’s visit would strongly inspire young people in both countries, helping strengthen a sustainable foundation for a substantive and long-term partnership between Việt Nam and the RoK.

Việt Nam and the RoK established diplomatic ties in 1992 and upgraded them to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022. Today, the RoK is one of Việt Nam's top investors, trading partners, and sources of development cooperation. — VNA/VNS