North Korean students are spending their summer vacations learning foreign languages, driven by the growing belief that language skills are essential for landing overseas assignments or securing jobs in the better-paying trade and tourism sectors.
“Foreign language learning has become the thing to do during summer break among university students in major cities like Chongjin and Hoeryong. More and more students are seeking out professors or even fellow students who can teach these languages. The motivation is clear—they believe learning a foreign language will help them land a job overseas,” a source in North Hamgyong province told Daily NK recently.
In Chongjin, the source noted, the number of students receiving foreign language tutoring has doubled or even tripled compared to previous years. This reflects parents’ growing interest in language education as they hope their children will gain valuable experience through overseas assignments.
The market has completely flipped from previous years. In the past, there were more people capable of teaching foreign languages than those interested in learning them, creating a buyer’s market for students. Now, demand has skyrocketed so much that professors and students with strong reputations can charge premium rates.
Since one-on-one tutorials are beyond many students’ budgets, groups of three or four often pool their money for shared lessons.
Another popular trend involves learning multiple languages from a single tutor. For instance, one second-year middle school student in Chongjin is learning both Chinese and English from a university student for 500 Chinese yuan (approximately 96,000 South Korean won) per month. While the typical monthly fee for each language is 300 yuan, the tutor offers a 100-yuan discount for students who study two languages simultaneously.
“This summer’s surge in foreign language interest has been incredibly profitable for professors and university students,” the source observed.
“This isn’t just about improving grades—students want to reach a level they could actually use in an overseas work assignment. So tutors need more than basic proficiency,” the source explained.
Border cities see similar trends
The foreign language craze is also taking hold in Hyesan, the border city in Ryanggang province.
“This year, an unusually high number of students are trying to learn English and especially Chinese. Since we’re so close to China here in Hyesan, more people seem drawn to learning Chinese with hopes of working in trade or securing an overseas assignment,” said a source in Ryanggang province.
“Since spring, there have been rumors about a Chinese company building a factory here as part of a joint venture. People think Chinese speakers might get hiring priority at the factory. That’s got parents scrambling to scrape together money for private tutoring,” the source added.
Many North Koreans are particularly interested in joint venture factory jobs with Chinese companies because workers there enjoy better conditions than typical factory workers—including higher wages and better food rations.
This highlights how the foreign language learning boom is primarily motivated by the desire for better pay and the broader experience that overseas assignments provide. The main driver is no longer sacrifice or loyalty to the state, but rather the pursuit of a more comfortable life.
“It’s pretty outdated to tell people to study hard so they can become devoted public servants. People are learning foreign languages because they see foreign-related work as the path to gaining experience and securing more stable income,” the source said.
Interestingly, despite North Korea’s strengthening ties with Russia across military, economic, and cultural spheres, there’s reportedly little interest in learning Russian.
