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New Korean textbook focuses on workplace phrases, factory terms for migrants and students

Published: 18 Jun. 2025, 10:34 Updated: 18 Jun. 2025, 17:57

Son Hye-jin, head of the Korean Language for Special Purposes Institute at Seojeong University, speaks during an interview at a cafe in Mapo District, western Seoul, on June 16. [JOONGANG ILBO]

A new Korean language textbook is bringing the factory floor into the classroom for migrant workers and international students.

A new book titled "Jang Young Sil Basic Korean" focuses on the practical phrases and vocabulary needed to navigate Korea’s manufacturing workplaces — from asking about safety gear to checking overtime assignments.

The textbook, released on Monday by the Institute for Special Purpose Korean at Seojeong University, is designed specifically for migrant laborers and international students preparing for employment in Korea. The book includes practical workplace expressions, such as the honorific form of “team leader” — banjangnim in Korean — frequently used in manufacturing settings, instead of the school-setting phrases typically taught in conventional learning books.

Seojeong University currently has the highest number of international students among Korea’s junior colleges, with 4,873 enrolled. According to Son Hye-jin, head of the university’s Korean language institute and lead author of the textbook, existing Korean textbooks often fail to reflect the real-life contexts that migrant workers face, resulting in lower motivation and engagement among learners.

The 75-page textbook focuses on practical communication situations that migrant workers encounter on-site. Example phrases include, “Do we have work gloves in this workshop?” and “I’m working overtime in Zone B,” as well as day-to-day expressions such as “When is payday?” and “There’s a company dinner today, so please attend.” Most of the vocabulary is context-specific, with terms like “safety helmet,” “assemble,” “commute” and “flammable materials.”

“I want to work for a Korean company after graduation, and I like that this textbook teaches me the Korean I can use immediately on the job,” said Ho Ngoc Toan, a 19-year-old Vietnamese student at Seojeong University.

″Jang Young-sil Basic Korean,″ a Korean-language textbook tailored for migrant workers, features situations commonly encountered in manufacturing workplaces. [JOONGANG ILBO]

The project was born out of the practical needs of many migrant workers who struggle with communication issues in the workplace. A significant number of international students leave Korea after failing to adapt, despite having acquired technical skills. To address this, the university began developing the textbook in June 2024.

“Effective communication impacts not only productivity but also workplace safety,” said Son. “To help migrants adapt quickly and integrate into Korean society, they need to feel that their learning is effective and relevant.”

The team drew on its previous experience producing another textbook focused on welding terms, published in September 2023 at the request of Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries. The research team conducted interviews at a shipyard in Yeongam County, South Jeolla, to ensure the terminology reflected actual usage. The result was dubbed a “Shipyard Hunminjeongeum,” a reference to the original promulgation of the Korean alphabet.

The researchers noted that while large corporations may have dedicated training systems, the new textbook could be a valuable resource for small- and medium-sized enterprises that lack formal Korean language education programs.

First Vice Minister of Health and Welfare Lee Ki-il inspects a facility ahead of a meeting on training foreign students to become caregivers, held on April 25 at Seojeong University in Yangju, Gyeonggi. [NEWS1]

According to the Korea Immigration Service, as of April this year, there were 2,084,412 long-term foreign residents in Korea. Of these, 604,474 held employment-related visas, accounting for 28.9 percent of the total.

“Many E-9 unskilled work visa holders still cannot speak Korean even after two or three years,” said Lee Chang-won, a senior researcher at the Migration Research and Training Center. “Since they can take weekend courses at universities, more textbooks like this are needed.”

Seojeong University is also developing a new textbook for migrant workers in the caregiving, nursing and child care sectors.

“We hope learners will become valued members of Korean society, just like Jang Yeong-sil, the historical figure after whom the textbook is named,” said Son.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY LEE YOUNG-KEUN [[email protected]]