One measure of the international spread of Korean-language learning is the King Sejong Institute network, a government-backed system that provides Korean language and culture classes overseas.
The network had expanded to 273 institutes in 89 countries as of June 2026. Enrollment reached a record 239,020 students in 2025, roughly 28,000 more than a year earlier.
The growth has accompanied broader international interest in Korean culture, including music, television, film and food. But the figures should not be read as the total number of Korean learners worldwide: they cover only students enrolled through King Sejong Institutes and exclude universities, schools, private academies and independent learners.
This also measures the spread of Korean-language education, rather than Hangeul alone. Hangeul is the writing system; Korean is the language being taught.
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