South Korean media: Students can take Chinese courses, but not major in Chinese

Author: Liu Sang-chul, Director of the China Research Institute and Representative of CHINALAB

During a graduate school class reunion at the beginning of this month, I was shocked by a piece of news — the Chinese major at the university where I once studied is facing the risk of being abolished. There is only one student currently enrolled, who is expected to graduate in the summer of next year, and no new students were admitted to the major for the past two years. If no new students are enrolled before this student graduates, the department is likely to be abolished. A major with over thirty years of tradition now stands at a crossroads.

The topic of the class reunion naturally focused on "how to save the major." Although there were many opinions, it was difficult to find a good solution. A sense of helplessness pervaded the gathering — isn't this a true reflection of the cooling down of South Korea's enthusiasm towards China, even evolving into an "anti-China" and "dislike China" trend? At the winter academic symposium held by the Modern China Society (President Yim Jong-hak) in mid-month, the issue of the declining status of Chinese studies in the country also became a central topic.

Professor Yoo Jung-won (音) of Kyung Hee University's paper "The Crisis of Chinese Studies in the Era of Dislike for China" has attracted widespread attention. According to his survey data, in 2014, when Sino-Korean relations were at their peak, there were 144 Chinese-related majors across South Korea, with 3,528 enrollment slots. However, ten years later in 2024, the number of related majors had decreased to 118, a reduction of 26 (a decrease of 18.1%). Enrollment slots had plummeted to 1,573, a decrease of 1,955 (a drop of 55.4%), nearly halved.

The demand for Chinese-related majors has also significantly declined. Looking at the number of applicants, in 2014, there were 23,570 applicants for Chinese-related majors nationwide, while in 2024, it was only 14,708, a decrease of 8,862 people. Moreover, the decline in regional universities far exceeded the national average. Does this mean that regional areas are more hostile toward China than Seoul? Not necessarily.

A 2023 survey by NewDaily titled "Regional Dislike for China" showed that the levels of dislike in Gangwon and Jeju, as well as Incheon and Gyeonggi, were both 78%, ranking first; Seoul had 75%, ranking third; Daejeon, Sejong, and Chungcheong had 72%, Gwangju and Jeolla 65%, Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk had 64%, respectively. Compared with this, the voices from the educational field are more worth paying attention to.

Although the number of students currently enrolled in Chinese studies majors has indeed decreased, the number of students taking Chinese-related courses has not decreased in parallel.

This indicates that although students no longer choose Chinese as their major, their interest in China has not disappeared. Korean Chinese studies seem to have reached a critical juncture for transformation. This is not only for the survival of the discipline, but also relates to the reality we face.

Source: JoongAng Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1852920307586124/

Statement: The article represents the views of the author.