The Korean language is spoken by over 75 million people in the world, including more than 51 million South Koreans and 25 million North Koreans. Learning Korean language communication skills is important for understanding more about these countries and their cultures, whether you’re interested in the latest Korean pop groups like BTS, Korean food like bibimbap, bulgogi, and kimchi, or want to visit the fast-paced, high-tech South Korean capital of Seoul.

Korean can also be an important language for pursuing business opportunities. According to the World Bank, South Korea has a GDP of over $1 trillion, led by major global industrial conglomerates (called chaebols) such as Samsung, Hyundai, and LG that are some of the largest and most successful companies in the world. North Korea, by contrast, currently has a closed economy with extremely limited business opportunities for foreigners; however, this could change in the future and make Korean language skills an even more valuable asset.

Korean language skills can be helpful for many business careers, especially in the electronics and technology sectors. Being able to communicate with representatives of South Korean chaebols like Samsung in their native language is a tremendous and relatively rare capability, and these language skills can help bridge cultural gaps that can make or break negotiations.

If you have fluent or near-fluent skills in Korean speech, writing, and grammar, you can pursue a career as an interpreter or translator. Working to facilitate smooth communications between business and political leaders can be an exciting career, full of international travel and high-profile work opportunities, and translating Korean texts and movies can be an incredibly rewarding cultural experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators earned a median annual salary of $51,830 in 2019, and these jobs are expected to grow much faster than average due to the increasing globalization of the economy.

Yes - or, eung, in Korean! Coursera offers opportunities to learn a wide range of foreign languages, including Korean. You can learn about the Korean language as well as aspects of Korean culture, economics, and politics from Yonsei University, one of the most prestigious universities in South Korea. And because Coursera lets you learn Korean language skills on a flexible schedule from anywhere in the world, this opportunity can fit into your existing work or family life.