CURRENT STATUS OF KOREAN STUDIES INFRASTRUCTURE AND EDUCATION IN THE CIS REGION: A FOCUS ON MAJOR CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

This study presents the findings of the first year (June 2025–May 2026) of the Korean Studies research group at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University. The purpose of this study is to examine the state of Korean Studies education infrastructure in Central Asia (faculties/departments, number of teaching staff (professors/instructors) and students, Korean Studies textbooks and clubs, the status of Korean Studies projects, etc.), which has achieved significant qualitative and quantitative growth since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Immediately after independence, departments of Korean language and Korean Studies were established at Central Asian universities, and systematic education in Korean Studies became widespread. Furthermore, the «Hallyu» (Korean Wave) phenomenon increased interest in Korea and the Korean language, which had a significant impact on the development of Korean Studies. This led to the establishment of university centers for Korean Studies in major cities of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Using Korean Studies literature published 10 years ago and basic Korean Studies information obtained more recently (as of 2025), the author conducted a comparative analysis of the state of Korean Studies infrastructure at leading Central Asian universities specializing in Korean Studies. This study confirmed that the number of existing universities responsible for teaching Korean language and Korean Studies has remained stable or is increasing, and that leading universities in Kazakhstan (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakh Ablai Khan University of International Relations and World Languages), Uzbekistan (Tashkent State University of Oriental Studies), and Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek National University named after Karasayev) continue to lead the field of Korean Studies in Central Asia. Furthermore, compared to 10 years ago, the number of teaching staff and, in particular, students studying Korean Studies has increased significantly, confirming the rapid growth of Korean Studies in Central Asia.

Keywords: Korean Studies, Korean Studies in Kazakhstan, Korean Studies in Central Asia, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Hallyu (Korean Wave).