Topik to be held more frequently in over 90 countries next year

Test takers take the Test of Proficiency in Korean. [CHO MOON-GYU]

The number of times the Test of Proficiency in Korean (Topik) is conducted abroad will double starting next year, the Ministry of Education said Wednesday.

Topik I and II will be administered nine times in 2024, with eight held simultaneously in Korea and countries abroad, according to the ministry.

This year, only four out of seven were available abroad. The remaining three were only available in Korea.

Among the nine sessions available next year, six will be paper-based, and three will be internet-based.

Five of the six paper-based tests and all three internet-based tests will be available abroad.

The ministry added that the change is a part of the Study Korea 300K Project announced in August, which aims to host 300,000 international students in Korea by 2027.

The ministry hopes the increased availability of Topik, often a requirement for university admissions for international students in Korea, will help attract more international students.

The test will be available in more countries as well.

The paper-based Topik is available in 87 countries as of this year, but the ministry plans to offer it in more than 90 countries next year.

"The ministry plans to offer Topik in more countries with increasing demand [in countries] such as Vietnam, Indonesia and India, allowing students to apply to Korean universities with less difficulties," Shin Moon-gyu, head of the ministry's office of planning and coordination, said.

BY LEE TAE-HEE [lee.taehee2@joongang.co.kr]