Korean demoted in Australia's language priority proposal
A parliamentary committee proposed prioritizing Chinese, Japanese, Hindi and Indonesian over Korean, raising educator concerns.
In June, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education proposed a four-tier system for language teaching. It would put Chinese, Japanese, Hindi and Indonesian as top priorities.
It would move Korean to a supported category. Educators worry this could hurt Korean language education in Australian schools and universities.
Monash University's Korean studies head said the decision "could be the death of Korean language education in Australia". Yet the evidence of demand is strong.
More than 4,100 students study Korean at Australian universities in 2026. Most come from non-Korean backgrounds.
Meanwhile, more than 9,500 students learned Korean across 68 Australian schools in 2024. This is about 1,000 more than a decade earlier.
The South Korean government has also raised concerns about the proposed move.
- 4,100+
- University Korean students 2026
- 9,500+
- School Korean students 2024
- 68
- Schools teaching Korean
- June
- Proposal month
Why it mattersLanguage education shapes Australia's ability to engage with its region. It affects career pathways for thousands of students.
AustraliaThe recommendation could reduce Korean language offerings in Australian schools and universities, affecting students wanting to learn the language and Australia's diplomatic ties with South Korea.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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