KUALA LUMPUR - Hadong County has announced that it will operate the 2026 Hadong Korean Language School to support the stable settlement and smooth communication of foreign workers, who play a key role in the county’s agricultural and fishing villages.

According to Point Gyeongnam, the county said the programme comes as rapid ageing in rural and fishing communities has accelerated the expansion of the foreign seasonal worker system, bringing workers of various nationalities, including Vietnamese, Cambodian and Mongolian, to Hadong.

Many foreign workers face difficulties with basic Korean communication, which has led to problems such as misunderstanding work instructions, higher risks of safety accidents and communication barriers with local residents.

In response, the Hadong County Family Center has prepared the Korean language training course to help reduce language and cultural gaps while creating a more stable working and living environment for foreign workers.

This year, the Hadong Korean Language School will be operated at two locations: the Hadong County Family Center in Hadong-eup and the foreign worker dormitory in Okjong-myeon, areas with a high concentration of foreign workers.

Classes will begin on February 24 in Okjong-myeon and on February 26 in Hadong-eup, and will be held once a week until July.

Each course will comprise 20 sessions, for a total of 40 sessions across both locations.

The curriculum will include basic Korean conversation and standard textbook-based lessons, practical terminology needed for work such as instructions and safety rules, and an introduction to Korean culture.

The county said the programme focuses on communication skills that can be immediately applied in real work settings, with the aim of improving work efficiency and preventing industrial accidents.

Applications will be accepted from January 26 to February 6 through the Hadong-gun Family Center or township and district administrative welfare centres.

“We hope that foreign workers will be able to communicate smoothly with their employers and local residents through Korean language education and continue to lead a happy and stable life in Hadong,” a county official said.

The official added that the county will continue to promote various support programmes to help foreign workers settle successfully as members of the local community.